What Is A Caffeine Crash? Plus 4 Ways To Avoid It

Caffeine is the most commonly used stimulant in the world.

It occurs naturally in the leaves, seeds and fruits of various plants. Common sources include coffee and cocoa beans, kola nuts and tea leaves.

It is also synthetically manufactured and added to sodas, energy drinks and certain dietary supplements designed to promote weight loss, energy and focus.

While caffeine is known for its refreshing effects, it can also cause a caffeine crash, which is characterized by increased fatigue and sleepiness.

This article explains what a caffeine crash is and offers 4 ways to avoid its energy-draining effects.

What is a caffeine crash?

Caffeine stimulates your nervous system by increasing brain activity, improving concentration and cognition while delaying fatigue.

These effects may occur in low to moderate doses of 20-200 mg of caffeine. They usually appear within 60 minutes of consumption and last an average of 5 hours.

After the stimulation effect wears off, people often feel less alert or focused. However, extreme tiredness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, or headaches may indicate a caffeine crash or addiction.

Caffeine crashes can be caused by not getting enough sleep, sleeping too close to bedtime, or consuming too much caffeine. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and last from a few hours to a week, depending on individual factors.

Luckily, there are ways to prevent or at least mitigate these productivity-hit effects.

Here are 4 tips to help you avoid caffeine crashes.

Summary

Not getting enough sleep, consuming caffeine before bed, or consuming too much can all lead to a caffeine crash. It is associated with fatigue, poor concentration and irritability.

1. Focus on sleep

Many people turn to caffeine—whether it’s coffee, soda, or energy drinks—to improve alertness and alertness in the morning or during the day, especially after a bad night’s sleep.

While it’s impossible to get a good night’s sleep every night, avoiding a caffeine crash is crucial.

Caffeine when you’re tired or low on energy only temporarily relieves these feelings. Once the effects wear off, you may feel more tired than before.

In response, you may consume more of the substance. This pattern, known as the “coffee cycle,” can lead to excess caffeine intake over time.

Caffeine’s refreshing effect is stronger when you’re sleep-deprived than when you’re resting. Therefore, prioritizing sleep can eliminate or reduce your caffeine dependence, keep you awake and alert, and prevent caffeine crashes.

Getting adequate sleep on a regular basis is not only effective in preventing caffeine crashes, but it is also important for good health.

Lack of sleep or lack of sleep over time increases the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and dementia.

Experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

Summary

Getting adequate sleep on a regular basis can help reduce energy dependence on caffeine and prevent sleep-deprived crashes.

2. Don’t drink too much before bed

If you consume too much caffeine throughout the day or are too close to bedtime, it may be difficult to get enough sleep.

The average half-life of caffeine is about 5 hours, with a range of 1.5 to 10 hours, depending on factors such as age, general health, smoking and genetics.

In other words, half of the caffeine you consume stays in your body after about 5 hours. In order to avoid substances that interfere with sleep, it is generally recommended not to consume within 5-6 hours of bedtime.

In one study, participants who took a 400-mg caffeine pill (equivalent to about 4 8-ounce cups of coffee) 6 hours before bed experienced disrupted sleep and difficulty falling asleep, resulting in an hour less sleep.

These sleep disturbances or trouble falling asleep can increase sleepiness and fatigue the next day.

In fact, regular consumption of caffeine can reduce sleep duration, sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness.

Depending on your caffeine tolerance and when you usually go to bed, it may be best to consume it only earlier in the day.

Summary

By sticking to the right amount of caffeine early in the day (rather than very late), you can get a good night’s sleep and reduce daytime drowsiness caused by consuming caffeine too close to bed.

3. Limit intake

Because of caffeine’s long half-life, the more caffeine you consume throughout the day, the longer it takes to leave your body.

Excessive caffeine consumption can not only lead to symptoms of a caffeine crash after the caffeine wears off, but also other mild to severe side effects.

Side effects of excess caffeine include:

• Fear
• Excited
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Stomach upset
• Irritability
• Disoriented

Although caffeine is widely believed to cause dehydration, it has a diuretic or urine-producing effect only when consumed in excess by non-habitual users.

Caffeine is safe for most people when consumed in moderation.

Research shows that healthy adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to about four 8-ounce cups of coffee.

Since genetic factors can also affect how quickly a person metabolizes caffeine, a smaller amount may be more appropriate for some people.

It is recommended that pregnant women consume no more than 300 mg of caffeine per day, and some studies recommend no more than 200 mg per day.

People with anxiety disorders or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may want to limit or avoid caffeine because it can make these conditions worse.

Caffeine may also interact with some prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Therefore, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor or pharmacist whether caffeine is suitable and safe for you, and if so, your dosage.

Summary

Excessive caffeine consumption can lead to irritability, increased or irregular heart rate, and upset stomach. Daily caffeine intake should not exceed 400mg for healthy adults and 200-300mg for pregnant women.

4. Don’t give up cold turkey

If you consume caffeine regularly, you may already be addicted to caffeine.

Studies show that caffeine can become addictive after only 3 days of use and in doses as low as 100 mg per day.

Withdrawal symptoms are similar to a caffeine crash and include headaches, decreased alertness, mood swings, and fatigue—all of which can be reversed by consuming caffeine.

Symptoms typically begin 8-12 hours after the last caffeine intake, peak 1-2 days later, and last up to a week.

In the early 1990s, the earliest studies of caffeine withdrawal showed that regular caffeine users who abruptly stopped taking caffeine experienced moderate to severe headaches, mood swings, and fatigue.

If you consume caffeine regularly and wish to reduce or eliminate it from your diet, it is best to slowly reduce your intake over a period of days to weeks rather than eating cold turkey.

On the other hand, if you are a frequent caffeine user and experience caffeine crash symptoms by skipping breakfast coffee or other caffeinated beverages of your choice, simply drinking this beverage may improve your symptoms.

Summary

Even if you only consume caffeine in relatively small doses for a short period of time, you can become addicted to caffeine. You can avoid withdrawal symptoms by sticking to your usual caffeine intake or gradually reducing your intake.

Final result

Caffeine crashes are characterized by symptoms such as headaches, excessive fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

You can avoid or reduce the severity of these symptoms by getting enough sleep at night, avoiding caffeine at bedtime, and as a healthy adult consuming no more than 400 mg per day.

If you consume caffeine regularly, you can avoid crashes by sticking to your daily intake. Or, if you’re looking to reduce or eliminate your intake, do it slowly, rather than cold turkey.