Getting Out Of The Caffeine Catch-22

Are you someone who relies on caffeine to keep your energy levels up throughout the day? Do you find yourself struggling to fall asleep at night despite feeling tired? If so, you may be caught in what's known as a "caffeine catch-22."

If your go-to afternoon pick-me-up is a cup of caffeinated coffee, then keep reading.

I'm not going to preach that you should cut out coffee altogether because, let's be honest, who doesn't love the taste and smell of a brew? Plus, there are some significant health benefits from all the antioxidants in coffee.

(Side note: if you can, I recommend drinking organic because coffee beans are notorious for absorbing chemicals such as pesticides, which you don't want to be consuming).

It's important to be aware of how the timing of your coffee consumption can affect your sleep. Caffeine has a half-life of about six hours, which means that about half of it is still active in your body six hours after you drink it (and about a quarter of it is still active 12 hours later). So, if you have a midday coffee, about a quarter of the caffeine is still active in your body at midnight. Ask yourself, would you drink a quarter of a cup of coffee at midnight?

Instead of relying on caffeine to boost my afternoon energy, I switched coffee for an energising breathwork technique. This helps my mood, energy, and focus when I feel myself getting tired. And best of all it stops me from laying in bed counting sheep or worrying about tomorrow's to-do list when all I want to do is go to sleep.

If you're ready to break free from the caffeine catch-22 and would like a quick, effective, and free alternative for some afternoon energy, drop me a DM over on my Instagram page @tristanrushworth.