It is no secret that Coffee and sleep do not mix well. Yet, the urge for a caffeine fix can be so strong that we end up picking up cup after cup from Starbucks or our favorite coffee joint. The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee at any point in the day can be so tempting that many of us ignore our inhibitions and go for it.

However, the epiphany of how much caffeine you drank usually hits you at night when you’re tossing, turning, and trying hard to sleep without success.

Coffee contains significant amounts of caffeine, a natural stimulant that gives the body a false sense of energy to stay alert for hours. Drinking a cup of coffee or two in the morning can boost your alertness levels and make you stay awake. But continuing the coffee fest as the day progresses can have terrible effects during bedtime.

Is sleeping after having too much coffee possible? The answer is yes. If you’ve already consumed more than you should, you can still achieve blissful sleep as quickly as you want. Just be prepared to put in the hard yards to achieve that.

How do you Sleep After Too Much Coffee?

If you’re reading this right now then you’re probably already struggling to sleep after consuming excessive amounts of your favorite Bean Juice and looking for a solution. Going on and on about why you should avoid too much coffee can wait until we’ve provided you with effective solutions.

Here are simple tried and tested solutions for coffee lovers with insomnia issues.

1. Drink Water

This might sound like a cliche but drinking water and lots of it can be good for your quest to sleep after consuming excessive coffee. Water helps flush out the caffeine from your system which eliminates its effects on your body albeit at a gradual pace.

This also sets up the body for other sleep-friendly actions you take to have a higher chance of succeeding. Does that mean you should force yourself to drink 10 cups of water at once or within a short space of time?

Well, too much water is not exactly what you’re looking for right now as it can increase the urge to pee multiple times. You wouldn’t want an emergency bathroom visit just when you’re close to drifting off to sleep, would you?. The truth is, that can make all your efforts counterproductive.

2. Long, Warm Bath with Relaxing Oils

There’s something about long warm baths that rejuvenate the brain and induces sleepiness. Due to the pressures of modern life, the majority of us are always in a hurry to get out of the door and hence become accustomed to taking quick showers.

If you’re struggling to counteract caffeine-induced insomnia, jumping out of your bed now for a warm, sensual shower can be a great idea. Adding essential oils such as Lavender can also relax your brain and shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.

In my experience, there’s no form of insomnia that a long, warm shower cannot eliminate.

Check out the article we wrote on the 23 bedroom plants that help you fall asleep quicker.

3. Read a Boring, Boring Book 

Have you ever read a boring book, magazine, or newspaper? Did you notice how quickly you started dozing off? This is because a bored mind is a sleepy mind. While reading something you like piques your interest and improves your alertness levels, the opposite is true for mundane subjects.

Remember, reading requires a significant amount of brainpower. Following and interpreting each word burns a lot of the brain’s resources. When reading a boring subject, the brain utilizes even more power to maintain the reader’s focus. The expended energy together with the strain on your eyes causes fatigue which eventually leads to sleep. 

While the strain of reading even the most interesting subjects can put you to sleep at some point, nothing works faster than boring books and subjects.

4. Dim the Lights

Many of us try to sleep in on Saturday mornings to get some much-needed rest after a stressful workweek. Thus, it can be very distressing when you unintentionally wake up at sunrise and have to pull your bedroom blinds before you can get back to sleep.

Is this something you’ve ever experienced? If yes, then you’re aware of how easy it is to sleep in a dark environment and vice versa.

Shutting out the light from your bedroom can help counter the effects of excessive caffeine in your body. But what if you sleep with a partner who cannot stand darkness? Well, you may have to pull on your sleep mask.

I found this sleep mask on Amazon that works wonders whenever I need to sleep but cannot dim my bedroom lights for one reason or another. It is made from natural silk and feels super smooth on the eyes.

5. Tire the Brain

Excessive caffeine keeps the brain alert even when you do not desire to stay awake. The good news is that finding a way to tire your brain can put you to sleep before you know it. And what better way to induce sleepiness and enhance your health at the same time than to exercise?

This does not necessarily mean walking to the gym in the dead of the night to power lift for 2 hours. Light and non-stressful physical activities such as short walks in your neighborhood may be all you need. If the weather is bad or you’d rather stay indoors then perhaps a few yoga poses, planks, push-ups, or sit-ups can do the trick.

Light exercises may not only help you fall asleep quicker but can also improve your sleep duration and quality. It is one of the easiest ways to cure caffeine insomnia.

6. Sleep Naked

Are you fond of going to bed fully clothed? It is time to ditch the pajamas and go natural if you’re struggling with insomnia. Even if you cannot sleep commando, wearing fewer items can help you reach Dreamland quicker than you ever imagined.

Many men ditch their shirts and sleep in their boxers only. Women may also opt for longer shirts and skip the undies. Whichever way works for you, know that you’ll have to take matters into your hands to reverse the insomniac effects of drinking too much caffeine.

Who knows? You may fall in love with sleeping nude so much that you’ll never go to bed fully clothed ever again.

Have you seen the article we wrote on sleeping naked? Click here to check it out.

7. Bedtime Sex

Several studies over the years have proven that few things put you to sleep as quickly as bedtime sex. Regardless of your gender, sex releases endorphins which enable your relaxation levels to go through the roof.

This reduces anxiety and stimulates quick shut-eyes in spite of how much caffeine you may have consumed. Why do you think many of us naturally prefer sharing a bed with our partners?

The physical demands of sex can also tire both partners quickly. Just like you start dozing off easily after a long hard day, a few minutes of sex can easily kick any sleep struggles to the curb.

8. Comfortable Mattress and Pillows

Your sleeping surface can have a huge influence on the quality and duration of your sleep. Sure, drinking cup after cup of coffee throughout the day will not do your ability to sleep any favors. But if your mattress and pillows are uncomfortable, then you can expect to face an uphill battle.

It is important to choose a breathable mattress that provides support for your body weight and promote the right alignment between the spine and other parts of the body.

Anything contrary to that and you can kiss your chances of a good night’s sleep goodbye – with or without coffee.

We recommend reading the article we wrote on finding the best mattress for overweight people.

9. Change Your Sheets and Pillow Cases

The feel and smell of fresh sheets and pillowcases can put even chronic insomniacs to sleep. Everyone deserves a night of blissful sleep regardless of personal caffeine habits. And a pair of fresh-smelling bedding can give you that and more.

If you own weighted blankets then you’re in luck because their cradling effects can boost your sleep. These blankets hug your body snugly to give you a sensation similar to getting a massage. The result is a supercharged ability to sleep in spite of the excess caffeine in your body.

Even in the absence of weighted blankets, regular bedtime massages from your partner can offer you the perfect relaxation to sleep.

10. Lower the Thermostat in your Bedroom

Noticed you sleep quicker and better during winter or when you switch on the AC in the summer? This is because lower temperatures boost sleep. According to WebMD, the most effective temperatures for sleep range between 60-67 degrees.

If your bedroom is hotter than that then you could struggle to sleep especially with mammoth amounts of caffeine in your body. This is why lowering your thermostat is such a great choice.

Another great tip during cool weather is to step out to enjoy the breeze for about 30 minutes in your patio or balcony. This can lower your body temperature significantly which can be critical when you eventually hit the hay.

10 Common Sources of Caffeine You Didn’t Know About

Coffee may not be your thing. And yet you struggle to tone down your mental alertness at night. But did you know that caffeine, which is the active ingredient in coffee, is also popular in many other common foods and drinks? Let us look at the common sources of caffeine we come across every day

• Soda such as Coca Cola or Mountain Dew
• Energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar
• Chocolate 
• Candy 
• Tea
• Cough Syrups
• Coffee Liqueur
• Protein Bars/ Energy Bars
• Caffeinated Chewing gums
• Caffeine Cookies

How Does Caffeine Prevent Your Sleep?

Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that induces the body to stay alert by giving it a false sense of energy. This energy rush competes with adenosine receptors – the hormone that alerts your brain to sleep when you’re tired.

Thus, caffeine forces the body to stay awake even when there’s a high sense of fatigue by keeping you active and eliminating any signs of drowsiness.

This explains how drinking a cup of coffee jolts up your energy levels in the morning even after a not-so-great night of sleep.

How Much Coffee Can I Drink Without Affecting My Sleep?

Ideally, the best way to prevent caffeine from disrupting your sleep is to stay away from coffee altogether. The next step would be to ditch tea, soda, and other foods, drinks, or drugs with caffeine content. But that may be a stretch since we all love the smell of brewed coffee after a sleepless night or tiring day.

If you’re a big coffee fan then it is important to make smarter choices from now. Firstly, you should know that it is not just the amount of coffee you consume that affects your sleep but the time you drink it as well. The effects of caffeine take roughly 6 hours to wear off.

Thus, drinking a cup of coffee later than 5 PM if you sleep at 11 PM may not be the smartest idea. You could end up struggling to sleep even if that is the only cup you drink the whole day.

A cup of coffee contains 100-150 mg of caffeine but the limit for the average person is more than 500 mg of caffeine per day. Thus, if drinking coffee throughout the day is non-negotiable then you should drink no more than 4 every 24 hours.

Should You drink Tea instead of Coffee?

From the British to the Japanese, many cultures around the world virtually live on tea. If you’re struggling to sleep due to excessive caffeine then switching to tea should solve all your sleeplessness problems right? Well, not exactly.

Tea contains substantial amounts of caffeine even if it is relatively low compared to coffee. The average cup of tea contains about 70 mg of caffeine. Therefore, drinking 10 cups of tea, for instance, might be a little too much for your body.

Tea can only be a good alternative to coffee as long as you drink it in moderation and do not end up consuming even more caffeine.

Is there a Healthy Alternative to Coffee?

Do you love the energy rush that coffee gives and wish you could continue getting the same energy boost without the negative effects on your sleep? Well, you actually could by switching to drinking Yerba mate.

 Yerba mate offers roughly the same instant energy as a cup of coffee. However, instead of causing sleeplessness, it contains active ingredients that calm your nerves for deeper relaxation.

Thus, you can drink mate at any time of the day without any effects on your sleep cycle.

I found this Organic Yerba Mate Loose Leaf Tea on Amazon. It is handcrafted in the USA with the best ingredients. And we loved the taste.

What Are the Signs that Caffeine is Causing Your Sleeplessness?

The fact that you may be an avid coffee drinker doesn’t necessarily mean coffee is at the root of your insomnia problems. The best way to find out is to reduce your intake for a week or two and see if your sleep quality improves.

In the meantime, here are the possible signs that too much caffeine may be robbing you of important sleep.

• Falling asleep takes longer
• Restlessness even when you finally drift off to sleep
• Consistent disruptions throughout the night
• You often have to resort to sleeping pills
• You wake up more tired than usual

Additionally, there are several caffeine overdose-related signs which may not directly affect your sleep. However, spotting any of these signs together with insomnia is all the proof you need to cut down your coffee intake.

• Headaches
• Fever 
• Dizziness
• Dehydration
• Diarrhea 
• Vomiting 
• Hallucinations
• Breathing problems
• Chest Pain
• Irregular Heartbeat
• Convulsion

How to Treat Caffeine Overdose

The best way to treat caffeine overdose is to find a way to flush the caffeine out of the body. Drinking lots of water can dilute the caffeine and reduce its effects on your body. But that can take a lot of time.

Instant relief can be essential when you’re suffering uncomfortable side effects from an overdose. Here are the quickest ways to flush excessive caffeine out of the body.

• Activated Charcoal
•  Laxative
• Gastric Lavage

I found this Activated Charcoal from Smart Solutions on Amazon that works great for Caffeine and all other forms of drug overdoses. 

It is the only USDA Certified activated charcoal product online. The Activated Charcoal is certified Vegan and Non-GMO as well.

Conclusion 

Now that you know the effects of too much caffeine, it is important to drink no more than your body can handle. Remember, caffeine is a drug and excessive amounts it can be bad for your health as stated above.

Also, try to get as much sleep as possible instead of staying awake and trying to energize your body with multiple cups of coffee.