CAFFEINE AND SLEEP

We all know caffeine is a stimulant.  Most of us have grabbed a cup of coffee to help keep us awake during a boring meeting, stopped for a cup of Java when driving for hours, etc.  This same stimulant can make it difficult to get to sleep and most Americans do not get enough sleep.  One thing you may not realize is that the effects of caffeine last 4 to 7 hours in your system.  So having a cup of coffee an hour before bedtime can make sleep difficult until almost time to get up!

And coffee isn't our only source of caffeine.  Below are a few sources you may not consider when having them in the evening.

• 1 cup of coffee ice cream = 48 mg caffeine
• 1 can diet coke                 = 47 mg caffeine
• 1 cup regular tea              = 40 mg caffeine
• 1.45 oz chocolate bar      = 25 mg caffeine

Dr. Lawrence Epstein, chief medical officer of the Sleep Health Centers, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, and past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, states it is important to know how long the effect of caffeine lasts and that you should make sure by the time you are going to bed the stimulating effects have worn off, if you plan to get a good night's sleep.

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