Overview
- Dr Rupy Aujla advises avoiding caffeinated drinks after 12pm, noting caffeine’s half-life of roughly six to eight hours means a midday espresso can still be active in the evening.
- The NHS says caffeine’s effects can last up to seven hours and recommends steering clear of stimulants before bedtime.
- Health guidance cautions that green tea contains caffeine, with all caffeinated beverages advised to be kept to before noon.
- Aujla suggests caffeine-free herbal teas such as chamomile as a pre-sleep ritual, emphasizing the benefit of a consistent bedtime cue rather than pharmacologic sedation.
- Officials warn against quitting caffeine abruptly due to withdrawal headaches and possible short-term sleep worsening, and Aujla adds that alcohol may hasten sleep onset but degrades sleep quality; he recommends eating evening carbohydrates three to four hours before bed.