Daylight Savings Survival Tips: How long will coffee keep me up?

How Long to Expect the Caffeine in Coffee to Last So That You Can Adjust to a Daylight Savings Schedule

Every November, daylight savings rolls around to shake up your wake-up routine. For many of us, this means an extra hour of sleep! Technically, November signals the end of the previous daylight savings schedule; think of it as 'daylight-givings'! However, when it starts getting dark at 5 PM, it can also mean some major disruptions to your circadian rhythm. That's where the caffeine of coffee comes in to help you stay awake, even when your schedule is thrown off! 

But how long can you expect the caffeine in coffee to impact your alertness? How many hours before going to bed should you stop drinking coffee? That's what we are here to explore! Armed with the facts, you will be able to consume your coffee more responsibly and keep your schedule running on track. 

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How long does caffeine last in the human body? 

The question of how long caffeine lasts in the human body has a complicated answer that depends on factors such as your unique digestive system, how much caffeine was consumed, and how caffeine impacts you as an individual. 

With that being said, most people notice that caffeine begins impacting them about 15 to 20 minutes after consumption. After about an hour, caffeine levels in your bloodstream should begin to peak. Then, the caffeine will slowly deplete until it is out of your system, which usually takes seven or eight hours to fully exit your bloodstream. For some individuals, caffeine completely leaves the system after 6 hours, while for others, it may take up to 10 hours. 

When are the effects of caffeine the strongest?

For most people, caffeine has the strongest effect between 30 minutes and an hour and 15 minutes after consumption. In fact, some people use this knowledge to their advantage by hacking their systems using caffeine and taking a power nap after drinking a full cup of coffee. Since caffeine takes between 15 and 30 minutes to really kick in, using it to enhance a power nap hack means that it is easier to wake up and continue with the day on time.

How long before going to bed should you stop coffee?

An excess of caffeine in the system can be an issue for people who are sensitive to the effects of coffee or caffeine or those who struggle with insomnia. If you want to fall asleep easily and know that caffeine has a way of keeping you up, you should stop drinking coffee well before bedtime. 

Indeed, individuals who are impacted strongly by caffeine should stop consuming it at least 6 hours before they plan to try to fall asleep. If you are particularly sensitive to caffeine, you may even want to stop consuming it 10 hours before bedtime. It all depends on your unique body. 

As a general rule of thumb, those who are sensitive to caffeine should plan to stop consuming it halfway through their scheduled waking hours. For most, this means after lunchtime, and you are on a regular nine-to-five schedule, drinking caffeine after 1:00 p.m. can be a problem. 

Why does daylight savings make you tired?

Daylight savings can have a notable effect on your circadian rhythm. Different people have various internal clock schedules. These natural rhythms can determine when the body is operating optimally. This could mean variations physically in terms of alertness, energy, and responsiveness. 

When your body’s regular schedule changes, your internal clock (and chemical/hormonal production) may be thrown off slightly, leading to feelings of fatigue, lethargy, or even sheer exhaustion. This is true during the beginning and end of daylight savings (in March) and the end of daylight savings (in November). That’s right, even though in November, you are gaining an hour of sleep, your body may still need some time to adjust to the change in schedule. 

This is especially true for those who are sensitive to circadian rhythm disruptions and people with ADHD, autism, or for those with other kinds of atypical neurological dissimilarities. Even for neurotypical individuals, sleep disruptions are more common in the months of March and November because of the effects of daylight savings on their schedules. 

Does coffee keep you awake?

Coffee, tea, and espresso, all contain caffeine, a chemical that blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, leading to feelings of alertness. So yes, coffee can help to keep you awake. If you are feeling extremely tired, it's safer to listen to the signals your body is giving you and take a rest. Alternatively, if you have consumed coffee and are having trouble falling asleep, the caffeine in coffee may be the reason.