There are days where I can have a cup of tea or a can of redbull or even an espresso and just go to sleep in 15-20 minutes. But there are also days where it actually works. What causes this erratic behaviour of caffeine on the mind?
PS: I don’t intake a large amount of caffeine regularly but it’s behaviour is kinda weird
In: 25
Caffeine works by bonding with the adenosine receptors in your brain. The trouble is, if your brain isn’t receiving adenosine like it is supposed to, it makes more receptors. So even though you’ve had your normal cup of coffee, you’re still feeling sleepy. So, of course, you have another cup of coffee, and the caffeine from *that* cup blocks the new receptors and you go on about your day. Which means your brain makes even *more* receptors.
In the meantime, the adenosine is just building up more and more, and when the caffeine goes away on its own the adenosine floods the now open receptors. And since you have more of them than you used to, you crash. *Hard*. This is where the withdrawal headaches come from. This can all happen over the course of a month.
The good news is the extra receptors go away after a week or so, so if you’ve reached the point where caffeine isn’t doing you any good take a couple of weeks off from it. I take a three week on, one week off approach, and I sleep better than I have in *years* as a result. Poop better, too.
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