Status: 12.01.2024, 15:37 PM
By: Juliane Gutmann
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Can't get going without coffee? That could be a false assumption, according to sleep physicians. A study shows when coffee actually wakes us up.
"If we want to have a wake-up effect from coffee and the like, then we must not consume them chronically," explains Dr. Carolin Reichert. The deputy head of the Center for Chronobiology of the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel is quoted in a press release of the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM). As part of a study, she looked at the effect of coffee on our body. An important finding: Heavy drinkers react far worse to the wake-up caffeine than people who rarely drink coffee. "Coffee is only a stimulant if our receptors react sensitively to it, and this requires phases of abstinence," says Reichert.
So heavy drinkers don't really benefit from the wake-up caffeine effect. But the DGSM researchers found out even more. According to them, caffeine only has a fatigue-dispelling effect if two conditions are met: you have had a short night or have been on your feet for far too long.
"Well-rested and awake, caffeine doesn't make us more awake than we already are"
"Caffeine has a proven wake-up effect, especially when we have slept too short or have been awake for a very long time. Then caffeinated beverages such as coffee or tea support the feeling of wakefulness. Well-rested and awake, caffeine does not make us more awake than we already are," says a DGSM press release.
Coffee doesn't always have a stimulating effect. © Imago
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You could swear that coffee always wakes you up? According to the DGSM sleep experts, this feeling is due to the fact that you consume coffee every day. If you reach for a cup of coffee once or several times a day, you promote a habituation effect in the body. At night, when we don't drink coffee, this can lead to mini-withdrawal. The resulting fatigue can be defeated by a morning coffee, according to the DGSM experts. But if you don't let regular coffee become a habit in the first place, you don't have to expect withdrawal symptoms.
Genetics play a role in how we react to caffeine
Genetic factors also influence how strongly we react to caffeine. For example, some people drink a double espresso in the evening and can still sleep. Others are wide awake in bed when they have a coffee shortly after 15 p.m.
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This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It is in no way a substitute for a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.