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Biorhythm messed up coffee restores our internal clock
A cup of coffee in the evening does not make it easier to fall asleep. The contained caffeine is stimulating and eliminates fatigue. Now researchers discovered that an espresso after dinner can completely adjust the inner clock.
It is well known that anyone who drinks a double espresso late at night will have trouble falling asleep afterwards. The contained caffeine caffeine not only disturbs when falling asleep, it also causes the internal clock to reset. Scientists led by Kenneth Wright of the University of Colorado at Boulder found that a double espresso three hours before bedtime delays the internal clock by 40 minutes. This shift is about half as long as bright light.
Coffee shifts the biorhythm. (Image: al62 / fotolia.com) Test results from the sleep laboratory
In a rigorously controlled trial, five volunteers were given caffeine pills or a placebo for 49 days in a sleep lab in the evening. In addition, they were exposed for a while either bright or dimmed light. Researchers regularly examined the saliva of the subjects for the sleep hormone melatonin. This is released by the pineal gland in the brain. The body's own internal clock gives the starting signal for the production of melatonin. It sits in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus and controls our 24-hour daily rhythm. In addition, it could be proven in the cell experiment that caffeine apparently blocks the receptors for the neurotransmitter adenosine at the molecular level. This usually dampens arousal and makes us sleepy.
Positive aspects of coffee
Thus, it can still be said: If you want to sleep well in the evening, you should not necessarily consume strong coffee late before going to bed. But coffee also has its positive aspects. A study by researchers at the University of Texas (UTHealth) has shown that the regular consumption of coffee has positive effects on potency. Thus, three cups of coffee per day can protect men from erection problems. In addition, the caffeine contained in coffee increases the brain's capacity and it is intended to contribute to mood enhancement. The reason for the positive effect of caffeine is due to its circulation-promoting effect. Another study by US researchers shows that the risk of developing skin cancer can be reduced by drinking coffee regularly. In addition, regular coffee consumption should protect against depression and Alzheimer's. Scientists at the University of Kaiserslautern have also found that regular coffee consumption protects the genome from harmful strand breaks. Coffee enjoyment can therefore protect the DNA from harmful environmental influences. (As)