As many as three out of ten Italians suffer from insomnia, a sleep disorder that consists of difficulty falling asleep and can also hide other diseases. Many, moreover, are convinced that there is a real scientific correlation between drinking coffee in the evening and insomnia, but is this really the case?
Coffee, and in particular the caffeine it contains, may have contraindications, but abusing it does not necessarily automatically cause this condition. In fact, those who have no other symptoms related to it can safely enjoy an espresso even towards evening, while those who are susceptible might prefer decaf if they just can't do without it.
Let's look at the highlights of insomnia to see if we are affected and adjust accordingly when drinking an evening coffee.
Coffee: what contraindications?
Unlike other addictive substances, caffeine does not automatically bring serious consequences on those who take it, so much so that coffee is indeed one of the most popular and beloved drinks in the world. However, when we overdo the doses, we may result in some harmful contraindications to health.
It is, therefore, important to keep in mind what is the safe dose of caffeine in the daily diet, which is around 300 mg, which is the amount present in three cups of coffee, or in six cups of black tea, but also in 10 cans of Coke, or 8 cups of hot chocolate. Being aware of the foods where caffeine is contained is crucial because we must always take into account the effect of supplementation, accumulation and synergy between them that contribute to increasing the level of caffeine in the body.
So when we talk about the contraindications of coffee, we must always remember that we are rather referring to an excess of caffeine that can have different concomitant causes. In general, drinking too much coffee can cause heartburn, tachycardia, hypertension, tremors, excitability, and insomnia.
How does the amount of caffeine in coffee vary?
Not all coffee also contains the same amount of caffeine. In fact, the quality of the raw material is a useful indicator for estimating the level of the substance present in espresso: very low in humboltiana, medium in arabica, and high in robusta.
In addition, the caffeine content also varies according to methods of preparation: low in soluble coffee, intermediate in espresso, high in that prepared with traditional mocha, and highest in the case of unfiltered coffee and Neapolitan.
Coffee in the evening: risk of insomnia?
To understand, then, how coffee in the evening may have an influence on insomnia, it is useful to dwell on the pathology. It is, as anticipated, a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep during the night.
There are various types of causes and concomitant causes that can lead to the onset of insomnia and its chronification. These include the prolonged intake of certain medications, depression, anxiety disorders, as well as the abuse of exciting substances such as alcohol or coffee. There are also some physical causes that can lead to sleep disturbances such as chronic bronchitis and other respiratory conditions, or other diseases that cause a lot of pain.
Bringing the focus back to coffee, then, it is not drinking coffee in the evening that increases the risk of insomnia, but rather excess caffeine in the diet, especially when combined with the other factors. Pay attention, therefore, to the daily amount rather than the time of day.
Fighting insomnia: tips
Having proven that drinking coffee in the evening does not automatically lead to insomnia, let's see what are some behaviors we can apply, instead, to overcome this disorder, especially as long as it occurs mildly and occasionally.
- Keep constant rhythms, always going to bed at the same time.
- Do not take stimulants such as alcohol before going to bed. If one wants coffee, decaffeinated is best.
- Avoid the gym in the evening hours, the body temperature increases as well as the difficulty in getting to sleep. Better to relax in the evening, and engage in physical activity and sports in the late afternoon.
- Avoid showering in the evening: you can take a hot bath, but never after dinner.
- No naps in the afternoon and before dinner.
- Do not bring anything on the bed, such as a computer or anything else otherwise you do not identify the bed as a place of rest and relaxation, but also as that of work.
- Do not stay in bed more than about 20 minutes if you are gripped by insomnia. Better to turn on a light and read a book. The advice is to return to bed only when you notice that your eyes are beginning to close.
The goal, in general, is to try to defuse at the brain level the association between the idea of bed and that of the inability to fall asleep. In this sense, if we realize that drinking coffee in the evening also contributes, it is better to either divest the habit or choose decaf.
What are the benefits of coffee?
The fact that coffee in the evening does not directly cause insomnia is one of the myths about coffee that science, in recent years, has helped to dispel. In fact, an increasing number of studies have focused on what the beneficial effects of coffee may be.
In particular, a study published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeuticsconsiderscoffee to be a protective and preventive factor against cirrhosis of the liver, while another research published in the Journal of American Heart Association suggests that coffee consumption may also have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. In addition, another investigative project by the National Institutes of Neurological Disorder and Stroke found that caffeine consumption, again within healthy limits, can help slow the effects of dementia as well. Since this important study, research is also investigating the relationship between caffeine and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's orParkinson's.
Drinking a cup of coffee, therefore, both during the day and in the evening is a pleasure we can not give up. The fear that an evening espresso will cause insomnia can be put to rest by focusing on quality instead.
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