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March 13, 2023 36 mins

There is no chemical on the plant more tied to sleep disruption and wakefulness promotion than caffeine. As every research paper on the plant points out in the first sentence of the manuscript, caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. The consumption of caffeine as spawned its own culture and massive business machine. In this episode we will:

  • discover the history of caffeine research in sleep
  • learn about caffeine and the related methylxanthine chemicals theophylline and paraxanthine
  • analyze the antagonistic effects that caffeine has on adenosine signaling
  • touch upon the differential effects of caffeine based upon age
  • explore the negative effects of caffeine on sleep including new research on its effects on REM sleep
  • detail the research looking at the timing of caffeine ingestion related to bedtime and how its effects may be more prolonged than most thought
  • uncover the reality about the wakefulness effects of caffeine and the facts that predict it.
  • break down the caffeine and performance findings of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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Thanks for listening and sleep well!

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