Is Caffeine bad for Sleep?

Have you ever wondered why some people complain of not being able to sleep after coffee, while for some others it makes no impact on their sleep pattern? Caffeine though known as a stimulant is known to work differently on different people according to their body type and genes.

Ofcourse in general, too much consumption, especially nearing bed time is no good for anyone, but science has proven some are indeed more prone to its stimulating effects than others.

There is an enzyme called CYP1A2 which is responsible for helping the liver metabolize coffee. This enzyme varies body to body for the simple reason that a particular gene helps in its production and regulation. The CYP1A2 gene determines how efficiently a person can metabolize caffeine and thus eliminate it from the body.

It is not uncommon for all of us to know someone who with just a shot of coffee will be wide awake. In places like Europe infact neat espressos are the trend and people can be seen consuming the drink through the day. Research has shown there is no such thing as getting your body into the habit as the genes will clearly demarcate your sensitivity to coffee and no matter if you belong to a coffee drinking culture.

There is another gene that determines the speed of metabolism of caffeine in the system. The gene, PDSS2 may automatically stop a person from drinking too much coffee as it can signal sensitivity at even lower levels of consumption compared to CYP1A2 gene that reins it in only when consuming higher levels. For those hypersensitive to coffee, just the PDSS2 gene is enough to make them cut back and be extra cautious.

Another factor that determines the impact of caffeine is age. In a lot of people coffee tolerance goes on decline as they age, especially after 60 years of age.

A study shows how while caffeine as coffee or other energy drinks enhances mood temporarily, older people find it harder to override the circadian waking signal and have disrupted and shallower sleep quality. Hence medicos would always recommend to lower coffee intake for older people, even if genetically equipped for it.

Everyone when stressed or jet lagged wants to turn to this popular stimulant but even brain receptors differ and not everyone will feel the same “kick”. The third gene responsible for your relation with coffee is the type of adenosine receptors present in your brain. If you lack the exact make up, you will be numb to its wakening effect.

So evaluate your reaction to coffee and drink accordingly, keeping in mind the fact that anything in excess is never good and as a rule you should avoid all stimulants close to bedtime. Think of sleep, you will be reminded of the best sleep gear in our bed mattress online in India