Need a coffee? Here's how long caffeine keeps you awake for

Virgin Radio

31 Mar 2022, 16:00

We all know someone who is approximately 80% caffeine.

How long does it actually keep you awake for though?

Whether you're the sort of person who can't function without 2 espressos in the morning, or someone who is just partial to an occasional mocha, most of us like some caffeine in our lives.

As a nation we apparently drink some 90 million cups of coffee a day!

The drink of choice for 70% of us is instant coffee.

Per cup, it contains around 60mg of caffeine.

So, just how long will that cup of coffee perk you up for?

It turns out that caffeine has a half-life of four to six hours.

What that means is that your body will process half the amount of caffeine over that duration.

In terms of how much impact it has, this means that coffee will keep you awake for up to six hours after you drank it.

Maybe best not to have a coffee at 6pm then, if you want to sleep at any time soon!.

Research carried out in the journal Science Translational Medicine says a double espresso can mess with your sleep cycle by up to an hour.

If you're always drinking coffee and still don't feel awake, there could be a good reason why.

The NHS website says too much coffee has the opposite impact and makes you feel tired.

Messing with your sleep pattern is never good, and it turns out that caffeine also blocks adenosine, the chemical that makes you tired.

The adenosine then builds up and will hit later on.

If you just love the taste, it might be an idea to switch to decaffeinated versions.