Many people rely on coffee makes to help them stay alert and productive throughout the day. But for some, drinking a cup of coffee can actually make them feel tired and sleepy.
The reason for this is because of a caffeine crash. This can be triggered by consuming too much coffee and by consuming sugary beverages that cause a drop in blood glucose levels.
Caffeine Blocks Adenosine
When you drink coffee, the caffeine in it binds to the brain’s adenosine receptors and blocks them. This keeps the sleep-promoting adenosine from binding to them, which helps keep you awake. As the caffeine wears off, the brain’s adenosine levels increase and you become sleepy again.
While this is a good thing in the short term, it can cause problems later on. If you consume large amounts of caffeine regularly, it can lead to a buildup of adenosine in the brain. This can result in you needing more and more caffeine to get the same effect, which means that your heart rate and blood pressure rise over time.
It can also disrupt your sleep patterns, especially if you drink coffee late in the day or right before bedtime. This is because caffeine acts as a mild diuretic, meaning it removes body fluid. This increases your trips to the bathroom, which can interfere with getting a good night’s sleep.
Caffeine also prevents your brain from releasing the hormone melatonin, which is needed for a good night’s rest. This can also lead to poor sleep and a tired feeling the next day.
If you find that you are very sleepy after drinking a cup of coffee, it is probably not because of the caffeine, but rather because you have fallen into a pattern of bad sleeping habits. In this case, you may need to start taking steps to improve your quality of sleep. This can include going to bed earlier, turning off electronic devices before sleep and eliminating stimulants like caffeine from your diet. It may be difficult to cut caffeine out entirely, but if you can gradually reduce how much you drink, it can make your transition easier.
Coffee is a Diuretic
Despite being a caffeine stimulant, coffee has a diuretic effect. This means that it increases the body’s urine output, which leads to dehydration and loss of salt and excess fluid. The loss of fluid can also cause your body to have less oxygen, which makes you feel sluggish and sleepy. This effect is exacerbated by drinking coffee with added sugars and cream, which will cause your body to lose even more fluid.
Many people drink coffee to ward off sleepiness in the morning, but they end up feeling sluggish and tired throughout the day. One reason for this is that the caffeine in coffee blocks adenosine receptors and prevents your brain from receiving adenosine, which causes fatigue. However, this doesn’t stop your body from producing adenosine, so when the caffeine wears off, you may have a buildup of adenosine, which can make you feel sleepy.
Another reason why you might feel sleepy after consuming coffee is that it contains mycotoxins, which are products of microfungi. Mycotoxins have been linked to chronic fatigue, and they are found in many types of coffee beans. While the mycotoxins in coffee are not as dangerous as some other substances, like pesticides and heavy metals, they can still affect your energy levels.
If you are concerned about the health effects of your coffee, try to consume a glass of water for every cup of coffee that you drink. This will help you stay hydrated and avoid dehydration, which can cause the same feelings of sluggishness and fatigue that caffeine can trigger. Also, try to limit your intake of other caffeinated drinks, such as sodas or energy boosters, which can also have a diuretic effect on your body.
Coffee Sweeteners Affect Blood Glucose Levels
The problem with many coffee drinks is that they are loaded with more than just caffeine and sugar. They may also contain whipped cream, chocolate, and other ingredients that can make you sleepy. Many of these sweeteners are high in sugar, which can cause a blood glucose crash shortly after you drink the beverage. This can make you feel tired and sluggish and can interfere with the effectiveness of the caffeine.
Added sugar in your coffee can also cause you to become dehydrated because the body has to use water to flush out the excess sugar. When this happens, the blood moves more slowly through the body and delivers less oxygen to your cells. This can make you feel sluggish and will often cause you to reach for more coffee to counteract the fatigue that results from this dehydration.
Other added sugars like honey and molasses can have similar effects because they are actually forms of sugar. They require the body to produce more insulin to offset the increase in blood sugar levels, which can cause a sudden drop in energy. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including irritability, headache, hunger, dizziness, and fatigue.
Using natural sweeteners in your coffee can help prevent these problems because they are low in glycemic index and do not interfere with the effectiveness of the caffeine in your body. Some popular options include maple syrup, stevia, and raw agave nectar. These alternatives are also much healthier than regular sugar because they do not have the same adverse health effects as refined sugar. If you decide to quit coffee altogether, be sure to cut back gradually instead of stopping cold turkey to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Tolerance to Caffeine
The stimulant effect of coffee is largely due to how caffeine binds with adenosine receptors in the brain. However, some people who drink large amounts of coffee may develop a tolerance to this drug. Eventually, these regular consumers may experience a decrease in the stimulating effects of caffeine, and it may actually cause them to feel sleepy. This problem may be more evident in those who drink coffee shop speciality beverages, which often contain lots of sugar and milk.
In addition, the diuretic properties of caffeine can also make you feel sleepy. This is because the coffee will increase urination, and this can result in dehydration. Dehydration will make you feel exhausted because it affects normal blood flow.
If you are a regular consumer of coffee, it is best to limit the amount you consume each day. You can try drinking green tea, which contains less caffeine than coffee. You should also avoid any caffeinated energy drinks, as these will also contribute to the tired feeling that you may be experiencing.
Another reason why your coffee might be making you feel sleepy is that the beans may contain mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are produced by microfungi that grow on many crops, including those used to make coffee. Mycotoxins have been linked to fatigue, and they can be very dangerous to your health. However, most of the mycotoxins found in coffee are destroyed when the bean is roasted and processed. Still, you should not completely avoid coffee because it is a good source of fiber and nutrients. If you are unable to stop drinking coffee, try adding other foods to your diet that have been known to reduce the negative side effects of caffeine consumption.
Coffee Beans Many Contain Mold
Mold is everywhere in the world and can grow on anything, including food. It produces something called mycotoxins, which are harmful when ingested in large amounts and cause symptoms like poisoning, immune deficiency, and even cancer. When consuming food, it’s important to be aware of the presence of mycotoxins because they can be hidden in many processed foods.
Before coffee makes its way to your cup, it goes through many stages and can be exposed to different kinds of mold spores. The main types of mycotoxins in coffee are Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A, both of which have been linked to a variety of health issues.
These mycotoxins can occur naturally in the environment and are not only present in coffee beans but also in nuts, grains, and other foods. While the majority of people will not be affected by ingesting these low levels of mycotoxins, they can be an issue for those with allergies and sensitivities.
While the levels of mycotoxins in coffee are low, it is still important to purchase high quality and organically grown coffee. It is also a good idea to buy wet processed coffee and make sure it has been lab tested for mycotoxins, as this will ensure that you are not ingesting these dangerous toxins.
It is also a good idea to consume single-origin coffee as this will likely have less mycotoxins due to the higher altitudes and more sun exposure. Some people self-report that they experience less stomach distress and brain fog after drinking coffee that has been wet processed, organic, and lab tested for mycotoxins. However, it is hard to prove that this is due to these lower levels of mycotoxins rather than other factors.