If we lose sleep when we drink coffee at night, the coffee we drink in the morning should also wake us up, right? But alertness and energy are two different things.

Without further ado, Let’s see if drinking coffee in the morning gives us energy.

The main stimulant in coffee is caffeine.

Caffeine changes the way cells in our brain interact with a chemical called adenosine. When adenosine It is part of the system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and why high activity levels lead to fatigue.

Adenosine levels increase as you move throughout the day. Because in our cells It is released as a by-product when energy is used. Eventually it binds to the receptor that tells the cells to slow down, making us feel lethargic and sleepy.

Energy expenditure decreases while you sleep, and adenosine levels drop as you return to other forms. This way you will wake up refreshed in the morning.. If you get enough sleep!

If you still feel sleepy when you wake up, caffeine may help for a while.

Caffeine works by binding to the adenosine receptor because they both have similar structures. But caffeine It is not strong enough to activate the sleep signal, like adenosine. Instead, it blocks the binding of adenosine, which is what prevents you from feeling sleepy.

But while coffee may feel energizing, this little caffeine kicks in It is more a result of feeling alert than of creating new energy. The reason for this is that caffeine does not bind to our cells indefinitely.

So the caffeine is eventually broken down and all the accumulated adenosine is mobilized, which causes sleep and drowsiness. In short: drinking coffee Instead of giving us energy, it only makes us feel more alert.

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