daneriksson on Nostr: How Changing My Coffee Habits Transformed My Sleep and Energy For years, I drank ...
How Changing My Coffee Habits Transformed My Sleep and Energy
For years, I drank coffee all day long. It was my go-to for focus, productivity, and pushing through fatigue. But despite all the caffeine, I felt perpetually tired. Worse, my sleep was restless, and I often woke up groggy and unmotivated. I brushed it off, thinking this was just part of being busy and driven.
Then I started learning more about caffeine’s effects, especially its half-life—the time it takes for half of the caffeine in your body to break down. On average, caffeine has a half-life of about 5–6 hours. This means that even 10 hours after your last cup, a quarter of that caffeine is still in your system. For me, that was enough to interfere with the deeper stages of sleep, even if I didn’t feel particularly "wired" at bedtime.
So, I made two big changes:
1. No caffeine at least 10 hours before bedtime. If I planned to sleep at 10 PM, my last cup was at noon. This ensured that by the time I hit the pillow, the caffeine was almost completely out of my system.
2. No coffee during the first two hours of my day. This was the harder adjustment. Like many, I used to reach for coffee first thing in the morning. But I learned that upon waking, your body naturally produces cortisol, a hormone that helps you feel alert. Drinking coffee too early can blunt this natural process, leaving you reliant on caffeine for that morning boost. Now, I let my body wake up on its own before enjoying my first cup.
The results were almost immediate. My sleep improved dramatically—I fell asleep faster, stayed asleep, and woke up feeling genuinely rested. Over time, I noticed something else: I didn’t need as much coffee. By letting my body’s natural systems do their job in the morning and limiting caffeine later in the day, my energy became more stable throughout the day. No more mid-afternoon crashes, no more lying awake at night.
I still enjoy coffee, but now it’s a tool, not a crutch. I drink it intentionally, rather than habitually, and the difference it has made in my life is enormous.
If you’re struggling with sleep, energy, or feeling like you’re “always tired,” it might be worth taking a closer look at your caffeine habits. Sometimes small changes—like adjusting when you drink coffee—can make a world of difference.
#caffeine #energy #focus #lifehack #coffee
For years, I drank coffee all day long. It was my go-to for focus, productivity, and pushing through fatigue. But despite all the caffeine, I felt perpetually tired. Worse, my sleep was restless, and I often woke up groggy and unmotivated. I brushed it off, thinking this was just part of being busy and driven.
Then I started learning more about caffeine’s effects, especially its half-life—the time it takes for half of the caffeine in your body to break down. On average, caffeine has a half-life of about 5–6 hours. This means that even 10 hours after your last cup, a quarter of that caffeine is still in your system. For me, that was enough to interfere with the deeper stages of sleep, even if I didn’t feel particularly "wired" at bedtime.
So, I made two big changes:
1. No caffeine at least 10 hours before bedtime. If I planned to sleep at 10 PM, my last cup was at noon. This ensured that by the time I hit the pillow, the caffeine was almost completely out of my system.
2. No coffee during the first two hours of my day. This was the harder adjustment. Like many, I used to reach for coffee first thing in the morning. But I learned that upon waking, your body naturally produces cortisol, a hormone that helps you feel alert. Drinking coffee too early can blunt this natural process, leaving you reliant on caffeine for that morning boost. Now, I let my body wake up on its own before enjoying my first cup.
The results were almost immediate. My sleep improved dramatically—I fell asleep faster, stayed asleep, and woke up feeling genuinely rested. Over time, I noticed something else: I didn’t need as much coffee. By letting my body’s natural systems do their job in the morning and limiting caffeine later in the day, my energy became more stable throughout the day. No more mid-afternoon crashes, no more lying awake at night.
I still enjoy coffee, but now it’s a tool, not a crutch. I drink it intentionally, rather than habitually, and the difference it has made in my life is enormous.
If you’re struggling with sleep, energy, or feeling like you’re “always tired,” it might be worth taking a closer look at your caffeine habits. Sometimes small changes—like adjusting when you drink coffee—can make a world of difference.
#caffeine #energy #focus #lifehack #coffee