Caffeine And Sleep - 5 Substances Which Contain Caffeine
Caffeine is not always a bad thing, temporarily increasing alertness and concentration, it is enjoyed by millions of people every day with no ill effect.
For people who suffer from sleeping problems, from having occasional troubles falling asleep through to full-blown insomnia, caffeine intake can become a contributing factor.
You might be surprised at how early in the day it is suggested you stop drinking coffee or high-caffeine sodas, with many guides stating 2PM as the cut-off time for an average person.
Below is some information on 5 different common substances which contain high levels of caffeine - once you know what they are it becomes easy to start avoiding them! #1 - Coffee Coffee is the best known caffeine containing substance.
There are many different varieties of coffee, which contains different amounts of this popular stimulant.
At one extreme decaf coffee only has trace elements (2 to 5 MG / 250 ML cup), at the other end Filter coffee can contain up to 120 mg / 250 ML cup, with filter and percolated coffee falling between these extremes.
Coffee is definitely one for the 'avoid' list if you are having any trouble at all falling asleep at night.
#2 - Tea Urban myths do the rounds every few years, where experts will tell you that Tea contains more caffeine than coffee.
For this to be the case you would need to take the strongest possible imported loose leaf tea - brew it for the maximum time, and then compare it to a particularly weak cup of coffee!! An average cup of tea clocks in at between 10 and 50 MG of caffeine per 250 ML cup, with iced tea at a max of 76 MG.
#3 - Candy Specifically chocolate comes with natural stimulants included.
Again this will vary depending on the type of chocolate consumed.
A side note here is that the manufacturers may add extra sugar and chemical flavorings to their candy, complicating the picture when it comes to the effect on your metabolism when it comes time to sleep at night.
A good benchmark is milk chocolate, which on average contains 20 MG per 100 gram bar - in addition to all of those calories! #4 - Soda There are 100's of different sodas which contain stimulants, particularly the every-popular cola drinks.
While it is possible to get versions that are both sugar-free and caffeine free, most of the cola-type sodas actually contain almost 50 MG per 375 ML (average sized) can, if you are drinking several glasses a day - especially in the afternoon or evening - you might be surprised to know just how much stimulation you are getting.
I will make a special note for energy drinks here, which can contain even higher amounts.
At least people drinking these are doing so because they require some stimulation.
#5 - Medication The last category is medication, this catches a lot of people out - since you do not expect them to contain even natural stimulants.
Since there are so many brands and types of medicine available we can not list them here, instead recommending that readers check the ingredients list of any they are using.
Cold remedies - including the ones you make into hot beverages - and pain killers are two groups of medicine which can contain high levels of caffeine.
For people who suffer from sleeping problems, from having occasional troubles falling asleep through to full-blown insomnia, caffeine intake can become a contributing factor.
You might be surprised at how early in the day it is suggested you stop drinking coffee or high-caffeine sodas, with many guides stating 2PM as the cut-off time for an average person.
Below is some information on 5 different common substances which contain high levels of caffeine - once you know what they are it becomes easy to start avoiding them! #1 - Coffee Coffee is the best known caffeine containing substance.
There are many different varieties of coffee, which contains different amounts of this popular stimulant.
At one extreme decaf coffee only has trace elements (2 to 5 MG / 250 ML cup), at the other end Filter coffee can contain up to 120 mg / 250 ML cup, with filter and percolated coffee falling between these extremes.
Coffee is definitely one for the 'avoid' list if you are having any trouble at all falling asleep at night.
#2 - Tea Urban myths do the rounds every few years, where experts will tell you that Tea contains more caffeine than coffee.
For this to be the case you would need to take the strongest possible imported loose leaf tea - brew it for the maximum time, and then compare it to a particularly weak cup of coffee!! An average cup of tea clocks in at between 10 and 50 MG of caffeine per 250 ML cup, with iced tea at a max of 76 MG.
#3 - Candy Specifically chocolate comes with natural stimulants included.
Again this will vary depending on the type of chocolate consumed.
A side note here is that the manufacturers may add extra sugar and chemical flavorings to their candy, complicating the picture when it comes to the effect on your metabolism when it comes time to sleep at night.
A good benchmark is milk chocolate, which on average contains 20 MG per 100 gram bar - in addition to all of those calories! #4 - Soda There are 100's of different sodas which contain stimulants, particularly the every-popular cola drinks.
While it is possible to get versions that are both sugar-free and caffeine free, most of the cola-type sodas actually contain almost 50 MG per 375 ML (average sized) can, if you are drinking several glasses a day - especially in the afternoon or evening - you might be surprised to know just how much stimulation you are getting.
I will make a special note for energy drinks here, which can contain even higher amounts.
At least people drinking these are doing so because they require some stimulation.
#5 - Medication The last category is medication, this catches a lot of people out - since you do not expect them to contain even natural stimulants.
Since there are so many brands and types of medicine available we can not list them here, instead recommending that readers check the ingredients list of any they are using.
Cold remedies - including the ones you make into hot beverages - and pain killers are two groups of medicine which can contain high levels of caffeine.
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