Sleep Disorders Healthy Sleep Habits How Long Should You Wait Between Caffeine and Bedtime? By Brandon Peters, MD Brandon Peters, MD Facebook Twitter Brandon Peters, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 10, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Sanja Jelic, MD Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD Sanja Jelic, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care medicine, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Fact checked Verywell Health content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Lisa Sullivan, MS Fact checked by Lisa Sullivan, MS Lisa Sullivan, MS, is a nutritionist and health and wellness educator with nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Learn about our editorial process Print Caffeine can be one of the great joys of life. However, if you have difficulty falling asleep, as occurs with insomnia, caffeine in coffee, tea, or soda may be the bane of your existence. Learn how much time should elapse after consuming caffeine and what symptoms you might experience if you don’t wait long enough before going to sleep. Aleksandr Sumarokov / EyeEm / Getty Images Adenosine's Role Good sleep occurs when it is properly timed to take advantage of both the body’s circadian rhythm and sleep drive. For most people, this means spending a prolonged period awake during the day (typically lasting about 16 hours) and attempting to sleep at night. In particular, the sleep drive may be affected by caffeine use. The sleep drive is understood as the desire for sleep. It builds gradually with wakefulness due to the accumulation in the brain of a chemical called adenosine. Adenosine is a byproduct of metabolism and the longer we stay awake, the more it accumulates and the sleepier we gradually become. Caffeine directly blocks adenosine. This in effect reduces sleepiness and may contribute to difficulty falling or staying asleep after it is consumed. How Long to Wait The million-dollar question is: How long should you wait between your last coffee or soda and going to bed to sleep? This is likely highly variable and is dependent on your individual levels of adenosine, your ability to clear it, and an underlying tendency towards insomnia. When someone never seems to experience insomnia, caffeine may have little impact on sleep onset. For most people, caffeine should be avoided for four to six hours before bedtime, as this is how long it takes the body to metabolize half of your (caffeine) consumption. If you are highly sensitive to the stimulant, you might consider cutting it out after noon (or perhaps entirely). Since there is some variability in its impacts from person to person, you could start by reducing it late and gradually move the deadline to stop drinking caffeine earlier as needed. Remember that caffeine can be found in coffee, soda, tea, energy drinks, and even chocolate. There are even some medications and over-the-counter supplements that may contain caffeine, so read the ingredient labels carefully. When Insomnia Persists, Consider Seeing a Sleep Doctor Caffeine may affect your sleep, but this may not be the only contributing factor. If you continue to struggle with insomnia, speak with a sleep specialist about other ways to improve your sleep, including participating in a cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) program. Though caffeine may make it hard to fall asleep at the beginning of the night, other conditions may cause you to frequently wake before morning. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tossing and turning night over night can have a big impact on your quality of life. Our free guide can help you get the rest you need. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 4 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lazarus M, Chen JF, Huang ZL, Urade Y, Fredholm BB. Adenosine and sleep. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2019;253:359‐381. doi:10.1007/164_2017_36 U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Spilling the beans: How much caffeine is too much? Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;09(11):1195-200. doi:10.5664/jcsm.3170 Harvard Health Publishing. Top 4 reasons why you're not sleeping through the night. Additional Reading