Coffee is, without a doubt, one of the most popular beverages in the world. The history of coffee dates back to many centuries ago in the Ethiopian plateau. Since its discovery, coffee has continued to gain popularity worldwide because of its immense benefits. Some of the most impressive coffee benefits include weight loss by burning excess fat, providing the body with some essential nutrients, and lowering risks of some diseases such as dementia, Parkinson’s, and type b diabetes, among others.
Another significant benefit of coffee is the ability to provide an energy boost and keep them awake. However, some people claim that they do not have the same effects from coffee, which leads them to ask why doesn’t coffee wake me up?
Why Coffee Wakes People Up
I like to start my mornings with a steaming hot coffee cup, and so do many other people from different lifestyles. One of the reasons I like my morning coffee is that it wakes me up. I am not alone in this because when you ask many other people why they start their day with a cup of coffee; they will give you the same reasons. How does coffee manage to accomplish this feat? The brain creates adenosine, a natural compound that acts as an RNA building block.
Adenosine connects to a receptor that slows down the brain cell nerve’s activity, causing blood to dilate, which leads to drowsiness. When you drink coffee, the caffeine gets into the system and bonds with the natural brain adenosine receptor. The nerve cell treats caffeine the same way it does the natural adenosine receptor.
However, caffeine does not slow down the brain cell’s activity as adenosine does, and instead of drowsiness, the blood cells constrict, and nerve cells work much faster. Besides this, caffeine also releases neuron firing, which the pituitary gland senses leading to more adrenaline production. Adrenaline chemical produces a fight or flight response that helps to keep you awake.
Why Does Coffee Not Wake You Up?
The possible reasons why caffeine in coffee does not keep some people awake include:
- Caffeine tolerance, after too much consumption of coffee leads to the body getting used to it. Tolerance leads to failure to stay awake.
- Too much consumption of coffee leads to dehydration, which in turn fails to keep one awake. You should ensure that you hydrate your body by drinking enough water alongside your coffee.
- The body gets a sugar crash from too much sugar or whipped cream in the coffee is another factor that leads to failure to stay awake.
- Some people have fast genes that lead to caffeine metabolization. Caffeine has minimal effect on such people, which may cause it not to keep one awake.
- If you are too tired, drinking coffee to stay awake may not help due to the high rise of adenosine during the day with lows at night.
- If you change your coffee beans, brewing technique, or coffee specialty, you may have problems staying awake.
Wrapping it up
If coffee fails to wake you up, you can try other alternatives such as eating an apple, chewing chicory roots, or chewing gum. You can also do yoga, use a light alarm clock, listen to soft music, drink alternative beverages, and plenty of water.
