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Journalism of Courage
Morning coffee is a ritual for many, along with those trying to keep their eyes from shutting after a tiring travel or pulling an all-nighter. Shockingly, however, it can sometimes make people sleepier. Wait, what?
“Yes. Caffeine blocks adenosine, a chemical in the brain that promotes sleep, which is why it generally makes people feel more awake,” explains Dr Jagadish Hiremath, a public health intellectual.
But it doesn’t have the same effect on every body type. People can have strikingly different responses to their cuppas, especially when caffeine disrupts the body’s natural sleep cycle or triggers a rebound effect. “Once its action wears off, the result can be a feeling of drowsiness rather than alertness,” Dr Hiraeth adds, explaining why some feel more tired instead of energised after drinking coffee.
Hence, whether you’ll feel tired or more alert depends on the way your body metabolises caffeine, which can sometimes depend on your genetic makeup.
Definitely. Medications can subtly alter how our bodies normally function. Individuals taking medicine for anxiety disorders or heart rhythm conditions have been reported to experience paradoxical effects after consuming caffeine.
“Similarly, medications that interact with the liver’s metabolic pathways, such as some antibiotics or antidepressants, can slow caffeine breakdown, intensifying its effects or prolonging fatigue once the stimulation wears off,” explains Dr Jagadish Hiremath.
Similar effects have also been noted in people taking thyroid conditions or with hormonal fluctuations, which alter their sensitivity to caffeine.
Lifestyle plays a major role in keeping the body in homeostasis, the ideal state of balance. Shockingly, a study published in Scientific Reports (2023) pointed out that major lifestyle changes—like increased sedentary behavior, altered diets, and heightened stress—are fundamentally shifting human metabolism. Caffeine sensitivity is not immune to these shifts.
“If someone is chronically sleep deprived, caffeine may only temporarily mask fatigue before the body’s natural sleep drive takes over, leading to drowsiness,” Dr Hiremath explains.
Poor nutrition, dehydration, and irregular eating habits can also reduce caffeine’s stimulating effect. “High stress levels can blunt alertness because stress hormones already keep the body in a heightened state, making caffeine feel less effective, or even draining,” he adds.
Another paradoxical effect is that excessive caffeine can actually make you feel sleepier.
“It overstimulates the nervous system, leading to a crash once the effects wear off,” says Dr Hiremath. This often leads to poor sleep quality and a continuous cycle of tiredness, which carries forward the fatigue to the following day.
In some people, too much caffeine can also raise cortisol levels, leaving them feeling more drained and less alert over time. “Moderation and timing of coffee intake are key to avoiding these effects,” Dr Hiraeh suggested.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
