How Long Does It Take For Caffeine To Wear Off

crazy by Editorial Staff | Updated on February 16th, 2023
Closeup portrait of beautiful woman taking cup of coffee at bed

Coffee is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system quickly. It has a wide range of positive effects when it comes to boosting your energy and improving your mood.


Many individuals like a cup of coffee daily because it gives them the extra kick they need to get their day off to a good start.

The effects of caffeine might begin to take action immediately after consumption, and they will last as long as the caffeine stays in your system.

This article will guide you on what you need to know before ingesting caffeinated drinks.

What is the half-life of caffeine?

Caffeine is a widely consumed stimulant, and it’s found in many common drinks, including coffee, tea, and energy drinks. According to the FDA, caffeine’s half-life is between four to six hours. It takes an average of 12 hours for the body to remove caffeine from the bloodstream completely. 

How long does it take for caffeine to wear off?

On average, adults have a half-life of 5-6 hours for caffeine.  However, this can vary depending on individual factors such as dosage, type of beverage, and time of day. 

What is caffeine for?

Caffeine is a stimulant, allowing users to become more alert and focused. You can get an energy boost and a decrease in exhaustion from the stimulant caffeine, which can be found in various forms in coffee, tea, chocolate, and soft drinks.

Health benefits of caffeine

Improved focus, attention, and alertness are just some of the health benefits of caffeine, which can also improve energy levels, memory, and reaction times.

There is also a possible link between caffeine and dementia prevention, as well as a boost in metabolism and weight loss support. Hence, consuming a small amount of caffeine is fine if you’re drowsy.

In addition to the health benefits of drinking coffee, there are several other reasons to enjoy a cup of joe. Cancer risk reduction, blood sugar regulation for diabetes, and chronic illness prevention are a few examples.

How much caffeine is found in coffee?

Coffee content in your food and beverage can vary. Coffee and tea’s caffeine content varies by brand, bean type, preparation method, and steeping time. All of these factors affect how much caffeine there is in each cup. Caffeine levels in coffee can range from as low as two milligrams (in decaf coffee) to 200 milligrams (in regular coffee).

How much caffeine is too much for one person to handle at a time?

The average adult takes 200 milligrams of caffeine in the United States daily. This serving size includes two 5-ounce cups of coffee or four 12-ounce colas. Most people have no problems with 400 mg of caffeine or four cups of coffee.

People’s sensitivity to caffeine and their size, gender, and other factors can impact how caffeine affects them. Caffeine can cause insomnia, a fast heartbeat, anxiety, and restlessness in people who are sensitive to it.

What happens to your body after taking in caffeine?

Front view portrait of an amazed woman looking at coffee cup

Caffeine’s effects can be felt within 15 minutes of ingesting it. Caffeine levels in the blood rise around an hour after consumption and continue to rise for many hours in most persons.

Half of the caffeine you ingested six hours earlier is still in your system six hours later. Caffeine remains in your system for up to ten hours after consumption.

Effects of too much caffeine

Some people are immune to the effects of caffeine; however, if you’re like most people and take more than the suggested limit of 400 mg of caffeine/per day, you may experience any of the following symptoms mentioned below.

Common symptoms

Insomnia, headaches, dehydration, increased blood pressure, dizziness, and hypertension are all possible side effects if you’re not careful.

You may also feel jittery, shaky, or nervous, experience a racing or irregular heartbeat, and have digestive disorders, including diarrhea or reflux and anxiety.

Rebound fatigue

There can also be rebound fatigue as the benefits of caffeine wear off. As there are wide variations of reactions to caffeine, it’s crucial to pay attention to how your body feels after taking caffeine and adjust as needed.

Poor sleep quality disrupted sleep patterns.

Caffeine’s effects can linger for the rest of the day. The medicine can still subtly impact the body even when the most obvious side effects have worn off.

Depending on a person’s sensitivity and consumption, caffeine may cause worse quality sleep or even disturb sleep patterns. Overdosing on the recommended daily dose of 200–300 mg can cause sleep problems in most adults.

Factors that Affect How Long Caffeine Lasts

The amount of time it takes for coffee to wear off can be affected by several factors. 

Individual variability

Individuals vary in their ability to metabolize and process caffeine, affecting how long its effects last. Studies show that women typically have a lower caffeine metabolism rate than men, meaning it takes longer for their bodies to break down the caffeine.

Other factors like age, weight, health conditions, and medications can also affect how long caffeine lasts in the body. Paying attention to your body’s reaction to caffeine is important, as everyone has different tolerances and sensitivities. Hence, some individuals may feel the effects of caffeine for shorter or longer periods.

Dosage

The amount of caffeine ingested is a major factor in determining how long it will take for the effects to wear off. High doses will result in extended half-lives, while lower doses will have shorter half-lives. Generally, the effects of a single cup of coffee or an energy drink can last up to six hours, while larger doses can have an effect on the body for twice as long. 

Time of Day

Time of day is one of the factors that can affect how long caffeine lasts in your body. Studies have shown that drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages at night can produce more pronounced and longer-lasting effects.

This is because your body’s natural circadian rhythms slow during the evening and night, making it more difficult for the body to process and eliminate caffeine from the system. Additionally, drinking coffee late in the day can cause more difficulty sleeping, leading to an increased risk of daytime fatigue. To reduce these effects, limiting your caffeine intake to earlier in the day is best.

Type of Beverage

The type of beverage consumed can also affect how long caffeine lasts. Coffee, tea, and soda are the most common sources of caffeine, but energy drinks can also contain high levels of caffeine. Generally, coffee contains more caffeine than tea, and energy drinks often contain the highest amount.

How long does it take for caffeine to be out of your system?

Half-time refers to how long it takes a substance to eliminate half of it from your body. In terms of half-time, caffeine is three to six hours. If you have at least a small amount of caffeine in your system, you may see the effects of caffeine.

That means you’d have roughly 48 mg of caffeine left in your system at midday after drinking 96 to 8 cups of coffee for breakfast. In other words, for caffeine to entirely exit your body, it can take up to ten hours.

Conclusion

Even after its effects have gone off, caffeine remains in the body and can alter sleep habits. Only those who drink large amounts of caffeine or are extremely sensitive to the medication are likely to experience the full effects of this stimulant.

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Disclosure: No compensation or free products were received in exchange for writing this review.

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Editorial Staff

The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.