Doctor Reveals What Drinking Coffee Before Bed Really Does
By Sophie
9 months ago
1. Coffee Causes Insomnia
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Perhaps it's obvious to say that coffee before bed is likely to cause insomnia, but it won't do any harm to remind you. You may find that a nice warm drink will settle you down ready for a snooze, but in fact the caffeine will cause the opposite effect and delay sleep if you manage to get any at all.2. It Induces Anxiety
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We all know that caffeine is a stimulant, but do you know exactly how it stimulates you? Well, first it attacks your central nervous system, which makes your body thank that it's in danger. With this internal dialogue, you are likely to feel symptoms of anxiety which you may not be able to place. Try looking at your bedtime drinks to see if this is the cause.3. You May Experience Heart Palpitations
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With all of your insides going a millions kilometers per hour, your heart will need to do some extra work to pump your blood around a body which thinks it is preparing to fight or flight. This will cause an accelerated heart rate and potentially irregular heartbeats.4. UTIs Are More Common
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Doctors say that coffee before bed can contribute to getting UTIs as it dehydrates your body and acts as an irritant towards your bladder. It is recommended to avoid coffee altogether if you contract a UTI, as it can make it much worse and delay the healing process.5. Kidney Problems
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If you're frequently drinking coffee before bed then you could end up with kidney problems that will require hospital treatment. A new study has shown that excessive caffeine consumption can actually put our kidneys under a lot of pressure and cause them to become diseased.6. Your Stress Levels Will Be Higher
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t's no surprise that a lack of sleep can cause stress in your waking hours, so best to avoid that night time Cup o' Joe. A hit of caffeine right before bed will raise your cortisol levels, which is the stress hormone; not something you want raising if you're trying to settle down for a restful slumber.7. You'll Get Bad Breath
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Morning breath is never something we wish to contend with, and it makes for a terrible bed partner. Do your other half a favor and avoid the coffee before bed; it will only dehydrate you further and cause your breath to be much smellier in the morning. The coffee leaves behind remnants of stench that's not always easy to get rid of, either!8. It Causes Dehydration
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Doctors advise that coffee is a diuretic, which means you are less likely to absorb any hydration as it will just pass straight through you. You will find that you will urinate more often, the more cups you drink. Therefore you will experience all of the negative side effects of dehydration which not only effect you physically, but mentally as well.9. You Might Hallucinate
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Hallucinations caused by caffeine can be an extremely frightening symptom, and one that seems unlikely however it does happen. With the over-production of cortisol, the lack of sleep and the constant stress that your body will be under if you consume a lot of caffeine, you are much more likely to experience hallucinations.10. Caffeine Addiction
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When we think of addiction we tend to think of drugs, alcohol, or gambling amongst other things. We don't always think of something that has become our daily routine. It's true that you can become addicted to caffeine, and the withdrawals can be terrible. If you do like a good cup of coffee, just try to keep your consumption to a minimum and drink plenty of water.11. Migraines Are More Common
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Caffeine withdrawal causes migraines which can be very painful and debilitating. Doctors advise that you avoid caffeine altogether if you experience headaches or migraines, which can paradoxically make the symptoms worse for a while, but they should improve after a few days.12. It Causes You To Crave More Coffee
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The more coffee you drink, the more your body will need and therefore drinking one just before bed is likely to give you cravings the following day. If you don't get to drink as much coffee that day you'll probably feel quite poorly so it is always best to avoid needing it in the first place.13. You Head Will Become Fuzzy
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Drinking caffeine before bed can cause you to think less clearly and struggle with brain fog. Not a great symptom especially if you have a demanding job! Having brain fog can in turn cause to feel even more stressed as you struggle through the day unable to piece thoughts together efficiently.14. Low Energy Levels
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Having an influx of caffeine right before bed will mean that your body is wide awake when it is supposed to be resting. This means that your energy levels throughout the day will feel slumped which will probably cause you to reach for more coffee. And so the cycle continues!15. You Could Feel Nauseous
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There are a multitude of ways that coffee can make you sick, so drinking it before bed is probably a bad idea. Drinking on an empty stomach can cause you to feel nauseous, and it can have a negative impact on our gut which will also make you feel queasy. Not what you want when you're trying to sleep.16. Nightmares!
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All roads lead to terrible sleep when you consider caffeine before bed, which is why doctors advise against it. An overactive nervous system can cause your brain to work overtime if you do manage to drop off, which can cause very weird dreams; not conducive to a restful sleep!17. You'll Be Less Alert
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We think that caffeine will increase our alertness as we feel more energetic straight after drinking, however the long term effects are actually that it decreases your alertness causing you to feel in a sort of trance. Once you have a caffeine crash then you're not much use to anyone, and drinking coffee to improve this will just put you on a metaphorical hamster wheel.18. Muscle Pain Is A Thing
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Drinking too much coffee will put your body under constant stress, which in turn will cause your muscles to become stiff. If your muscles are always in this state then it is likely that they will begin to ache, and they'll feel even worse if they're not managing to rest at night.19. You'll Feel Disorganized
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With your brain working less efficiently you'll probably find yourself feeling very disorganized. Without sufficient rest, your brain cannot function properly as it needs to be able to recharge. Sleep helps your brain to get rid of toxins which will cloud your judgment, and cause you thoughts to become muddled.20. It Could Lead To Depression
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A lack of sleep can cause low mood and a constant lack of sleep can cause you to feel depressed. Coffee before bedtime is a huge contributor to depression, as it blocks your body from going through the cycles it needs to to function properly, namely your circadian rhythm.21. You Might Over-Eat
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Drinking too much coffee can cause your body to become confused about what it needs. The caffeine will put your metabolism into overdrive and therefore make you crave food that aren't nutritionally sound. Your tired body will want energy quickly so will urge you to eat lots of sugar and fat, which when consumed too frequently, will only cause you to crave more and leave you with all sorts of problems.22. Or Under-Eat
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On the flipside, caffeine is an appetite suppressant so too much coffee can actually cause you to eat too little. When your bod isn't getting the nutrition it needs then your organs (your brain included), will suffer. Your energy levels will drop further and you will certainly not feel at your best.23. You'll Struggle To Work
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Everything mentioned above will contribute to you feeling inadequate at the most menial tasks, so you can forget about being able to work efficiently! There can be very detrimental effects to underperforming at work, and it may be fixed by simply cutting out your night time coffee.24. Colleagues Will Think You're Irritable
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A lack of sleep will cause anyone to feel irritable, so sleep hygiene is of great importance to your overall mood. Doctors say that a good bedtime routine does not include having a cup of coffee, so think about what other, de-caffeinated hot drink you can have instead to lead you to better sleep. Your family will thank you for it!25. You'll Get The Shakes
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Your sympathetic nervous system being in overdrive will cause excessive energy throughout your body. This energy needs to be gotten rid of somewhere and your body may begin to shake if it goes unused. Obviously cutting out caffeine is the best way to avoid these shakes, but if you're at that point then drinking plenty of water and going for a walk is a good way to alleviate symptoms.26. Impatience Will Affect You
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If you haven't had a restful sleep and are experiencing caffeine crash then you may become impatient in your waking hours. Things may start to annoy you more and you'll probably feel extremely uncomfortable. You'll struggle to queue at the checkout and your colleagues will get on your nerves. It doesn't sound like a very nice mood to be in!27. Disrupted Sleep Cycles
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Your body goes through different sleep cycles overnight, each one having a different regenerative purpose. If your body is being affected by caffeine, then it is likely that these cycles will be disrupted, and you'll fail to get enough mental and physical recovery for your body to work properly the next day.28. You'll Be Unable To Concentrate
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Too much caffeine causes your brain to underperform, leaving you unable to concentrate for any length of time. This can be quite distressing as it may cause anxieties about further health problems. Try cutting out your night time coffee and see if your concentration improves.29. It Can Make You Short Tempered
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Drinking coffee before bed can cause you to feel short tempered and you may not be able to handle situations well, as you're in a constant state of annoyance. Anything can make you snap when you're in this mood, so best not to be around people when you are. Avoiding people isn't a long term solution however, so really the best thing to do is to cut out that evening coffee!30. It'll Cause An Upset Stomach
