Sleep and Decaffeinated Coffee and Tea

For two years I regularly called on a large organization where I made lecture-type presentations to groups of clients. Some days I would stop at the employee breakroom before a presentation for a free cup of decaf coffee and some days I would just have a bottle of water. The decaf coffee was in those single serve sealed packs that you pop into a neat little brewer.

It became quite clear to me that the days I had the decaf coffee I talked faster and longer. I am sure that the decaf coffee in that breakroom had a goodly amount of residual caffeine left in it.

My wife remembered this when I mentioned that my sleeping had turned to the worse for two weeks. She also remembered that two weeks earlier I had begun brewing decaf tea at home and drinking two or three iced glasses in the afternoon and early evening. She did a little internet research and found out that decaf teas and coffee contain varying amounts of caffeine.

I skipped the tea the last three days and am sleeping much better at night.

But now I got'ta find something else to drink on summer afternoons. A Southerner without iced tea.

I could probably count on one hand (and have fingers left over) the number of times when night-time caffeine has bothered my sleeping. I can usually drink coffee right up to the time I go to bed (and usually do).

Den

I'm also very sensitive to caffeine. I've switched to green tea. It does't have caffeine, right?

OutaSync wrote:I'm also very sensitive to caffeine. I've switched to green tea. It does't have caffeine, right?

Think again.

Caffeine Content of Some Common Drinks (per 100 ml)
Coffee brewed from grounds 40 mg
Expresso coffee 212 mg
Instant coffee 26 mg
Coffee liqueur(63 proof) 26 mg
Lipton black Tea (bag 33 mg
Green tea (loose leaves) 32 mg

Source: http://www.medicinalfoodnews.com/vol10/2006/green_tea

Sensitivity to caffeine, at least for some people, changes significantly with frequency of consumption. I had stopped drinking coffee and tea for many years (15+) because I did not want the caffeine. I was extremely sensitive to sleep disruption if I had caffeine after early evening. During the time of quitting, for many months, I had headaches from withdrawal.

Then I learned about the good effects of tea (green tea, and to some extend even coffee), and started drinking again. Usually green tea. I have been drinking more and more, and now I am almost insensitive to effect of caffeine on sleep. I can drink a cup 15 minutes before bedtime, and will fall asleep as if I had not taken it!

I am also sensitive to caffeine, and I "use" it to work for me. I have at least one mug of caffeinated coffee in the morning, sometimes also a cup of caffeinated tea. On a rare occasion I'll have a cup of coffee after dinner, decaf, if we're eating out somewhere, or a caffeinated cup in the evening if I have to drive somewhere that takes longer than an hour.

I cannot even half *decaf* tea (!) at dinner or after dinner, or I get RLS when going to sleep that night.

I get tired of water, water, water. Here's my suggestion to you "Southerner". The Celestial Seasonings Blueberry herbal tea is fantastic, especially if you doctor it with a little honey. I'm not a major fan of herbal teas, and I usually avoid them, but this particular flavor is awesome. I usually make a cup of this as an evening treat.

Another idea that is an expensive addiction of mine: Pelligrino bottled water. It is a mineral water from Italy that is carbonated. I don't know what the deal is with this water, but it's fantastic! To stretch my $$$ a bit, I usually drink it as 1/2 Pelligrino, 1/2 tap water. Another favorite: La Croix raspberry carbonated water. It doesn't have that fruity overkill taste that some of the flavored waters have.

And even though others may say that they can drink coffee right before bed and have no trouble going to sleep: I've noticed that if I drink more than my usual amount of caffeine in a day I can still usually go to sleep, yet I wake up much more easily. Sometimes that is good (to spring out of bed with energy) but sometimes not (if you're really tired and know you need to sleep in).

hth,
All in Knots

I got it Rooster........BEER! LOL

OK, all joking aside, but I agree with Allinknots, the Blueberry tea by both Celestial Seasons
and my favorite is Arizona Diet Blueberry green tea.....drink it daily, as I also dont consume caffiene.
You may think 'blueberry, yuck', but it's actually quite a pleasant mild taste.

yorkiemum01 wrote:...........
and my favorite is Arizona Diet Blueberry green tea.....drink it daily, as I also dont consume caffiene.
........

They've fooled you Yorkie. According to Arizona's website, this one has 7.5 mg caffeine per 8 ounces. Since I would drink at least 24 ounces in the afternoon, this would be way too much for my caffeine sensitive brain.

I stopped while driving and looked for a caffeine free diet drink and picked up a Sunkist orange soda. I checked the label and it has caffeine. Where the hell do they find oranges with caffeine!?

From one southern gentleman to another:
2 oz of vodka
1 1/2 ounces blue curcao
4 ounces of sweet and sour mix

Shake contents in a glass filled with ice and enjoy!

profish wrote:From one southern gentleman to another:
2 oz of vodka
1 1/2 ounces blue curcao
4 ounces of sweet and sour mix

Shake contents in a glass filled with ice and enjoy!

That sounds good, Prof.

My first choice is Johnnie Walker Black Label straight - no chaser and no ice.

But you need to drink any alcohol early enough or it will interfere with sleep architecture. I have nothing beyond 2:00 p.m.

Drats, you got me in the mood and it's 8:30 p.m.

Drats.......foiled again!

I'm telling you.....this is getting annoying actually. Today i went to make some
microwave popcorn and on the contents label it reads "contains eggs, fish
and milk" and i was FLOORED. I'm a vegetarian, so I was really beside myself
and phoned Conagra foods, who assured me it doesnt contain those items, BUT
it may have been exposed in handling due to other items they process at their
plant.

First they "F" with my popcorn, and now my TEA! SOOOOO frustrating when you try
very hard to make a conscious effort in 'what you consume'.

So I skipped the popcorn..........and I'm gonna go grab that darn beer instead!

yorkiemum01 wrote:....... Today i went to make some
microwave popcorn and on the contents label it reads "contains eggs, fish
and milk" ........

That's an old traditional Tar Heel recipe. Pop the corn and place it in a bowl. Break one raw egg over it; throw in some chunks of smoked salmon; and cover it all with whole milk. Delicious and healthy.


BTW, someone told me that they once opened a bag of unpopped microwave popcorn. In addition to the corn, they found a large, hard chunk of a nasty looking yellow substance. They have not eaten microwave popcorn since.

Thanks Rooster...........seems like now I need another BEER! LOL