Eli5 why can’t we continuously take caffeine and never sleep?

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I work overnight shifts (11pm-7am) and take caffeine pills to stay awake. When I get home, even if I take more caffeine I’m sometimes still too tired and fall asleep. Why does it eventually stop working? Is there some sort of chemical limit? Why can’t caffeine replace sleep for longer periods of time (like days on end)?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Caffeine fits into the pockets where adenosine is supposed to go. When the adenosine fills up the pockets, it makes you sleepy. When the caffeine is in the pockets, the adenosine can’t fit. Your body is all like “I made adenosine, but still no sleepy, I guess I’ll make extra tomorrow because if no sleepy, then dead.” Body then makes too much adenosine and the pockets get full too early. Don’t fill your adenosine pockets with caffeine. Get some sleeytime.

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