Does coffee make you awake? The answer is clear

Whether it's a pick-me-up in the morning, an energy booster during the day or a boost in the evening before partying – coffee is highly appreciated by many people. The question of whether coffee actually makes you awake is therefore of great interest.

The alarm clock rings, but waking up is difficult. That's why the first thing you do is go to the kitchen, where you stagger from tiredness and brew yourself a filter coffee or prepare an espresso. In the morning, shortly after waking up, you often feel simply too tired – who hasn't experienced this? A quick remedy is the first cup of coffee, many think. But does coffee really wake you up? And how exactly does a cup of coffee work? That's what we want to explain in this article.

Summary

The increased adenosine level causes fatigue.
The first cup of coffee provides a remedy.
The caffeine it contains blocks adenosine, ensures that it does not dock with the receptors.
And clears the way for important messenger substances such as dopamine and glutamic acid.
This increases attention and the feeling of alertness

Why coffee makes us awake

Does coffee make you awake? The answer is quite clear: yes. The explanation is simple. The so-called adenosine level is responsible for tiredness in the morning, during the day or in the evening. But caffeine is very similar in structure to the body's own messenger substance. It blocks adenosine by occupying the receptors in the central nervous system - but does not activate them. As a result, the nerves don't get a signal to shut down. They continue to work. At the same time, this process leads to an increased release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine and glutamic acid. These are responsible for increasing attention, the feeling of alertness and concentration.

When we drink coffee, caffeine quickly enters the bloodstream and reaches the brain within 20 minutes. There it exerts its effect, reducing fatigue and increasing mental performance (learn more about the effect of caffeine here). Many people experience increased energy and an improved sense of alertness after consuming coffee.

Why can't you stay awake indefinitely?

The basic rule is that caffeine is broken down by the body. It takes about five hours for the body to break down half of the caffeine. It can take up to 20 hours for it to be completely broken down. However, it is important to note that the effect of coffee on each person can be different. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others and may feel a noticeable effect after just one cup of coffee, while others may need several cups to achieve a similar effect. In addition, the effect of coffee can diminish over time, as the body can develop a tolerance to caffeine.

Excessive consumption harmful

In addition, the consumption of coffee can also have negative effects. Excessive consumption of caffeine can lead to sleep disorders, nervousness, palpitations and stomach problems. It is therefore advisable to keep the consumption of coffee in moderation and to pay attention to the individual needs and reactions of your own body. We recommend to enjoy coffee in moderation - and really good coffee, i.e. specialty coffee (learn more about specialty coffee here). So we recommend enjoying high-quality coffee in moderation and not consuming the cheap caffeine injection en masse.

CAFFEINE CONTENT CAN VARY GREATLY

Watch out, the caffeine content of a coffee can vary greatly! James Hoffmann, Coffee Influencer and author of the Coffee Atlas has tested the caffeine content of a double espresso in a video in commercial coffee chains and from specialty roasters. The results show that the caffeine content of a double espresso varies greatly from chain to chain, ranging from 85 to 175 mg. In specialty roasters, on the other hand, it did not differ as much. It was between 110 and 135 mg.

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written by

Christopher Braemer

Christopher is a trained journalist and works in marketing at Röststätte Berlin. The Röststätte newsletter and the content area are close to his heart. For the blog he writes about coffee from all over the world, but also about business, politics or sustainability. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to drop him a line.

Photos: Laura Droße

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