Caffeine and Sleep: When Should You Stop Drinking Coffee?

By Roel van den Bogaard, personal trainer and founder of Aurora Personal Training in Eindhoven.

Caffeine can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. A practical starting point is to avoid caffeine in the six hours before bedtime. If you go to bed at 11:00 p.m., aim to have your last caffeine by around 5:00 p.m. You may need to stop earlier if you are sensitive to caffeine or take a high dose. [1, 2]

A coffee during your first meeting, another after lunch and a pre-workout before your evening training session: each may seem like a small choice. Together, they determine how much caffeine you consume and how late in the day you take it.

You do not automatically need to give up coffee. Start by looking at your total intake, the timing of your last coffee and how you sleep.

Caffeine temporarily blocks the action of adenosine, a substance involved in the buildup of sleep pressure. This can make you feel more awake. However, feeling more alert does not mean you have made up for lost sleep. [3]

The effects on your sleep depend on factors including the dose, timing and your sensitivity. Caffeine can delay falling asleep, interrupt sleep and reduce the amount of deep sleep.

Your own impression does not always tell the whole story. In a small randomized study, 23 young men received 100 or 400 milligrams of caffeine four, eight or twelve hours before bedtime. With 400 milligrams, researchers observed disturbances in aspects of sleep even when caffeine was taken twelve hours beforehand. With 100 milligrams, they found no statistically significant effect within this study. That does not prove this amount has no effect on everyone’s sleep. [2]

Being able to fall asleep is therefore only one part of assessing how caffeine affects you.

Thuisarts, a Dutch patient information resource, recommends avoiding caffeine in the six hours before bedtime. Use this as a starting point, rather than a guarantee that caffeine will have no effect afterward. [1]

This table calculates the timing based on that sleep advice. It does not identify a personal cutoff after which caffeine is certain to have no effect.

Still sleeping poorly? Try moving your last caffeine earlier and consider your total intake as well. With large doses, a six-hour gap may not be enough. [2]

A fixed rule such as “never drink coffee after 2:00 p.m.” does not account for your bedtime. Work backward from when you plan to sleep.

The half-life is the time it takes your body to reduce the amount of caffeine by half. For healthy adults, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reports an average of about four hours, with a range of two to eight hours. Pregnancy, medication and individual differences can affect how quickly caffeine is broken down. [4]

Suppose you consume 100 milligrams of caffeine at 2:00 p.m. Assuming a four-hour half-life, a simplified example looks like this:

Caffeine has not left your system after one half-life. If you have another coffee later, that adds to the caffeine already present.

This example does not predict your personal caffeine clearance or sleep quality.

“Coffee” is not a fixed dose. A large mug generally contains more caffeine than a small cup. Preparation and strength also matter. These are approximate amounts from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, known as Voedingscentrum. [5, 7]

Actual amounts vary by product and preparation. Check the label on energy drinks and supplements.

For example, two 250 ml mugs of filter coffee and one 250 ml energy drink provide approximately 320 milligrams of caffeine based on these averages. That may be more than you expect from “just three drinks.”

Include serving sizes when you track your intake.

For healthy adults who are not pregnant, EFSA states that up to 400 milligrams spread throughout the day and single doses of up to 200 milligrams generally do not raise safety concerns. These amounts are not targets. A lower intake can still affect your sleep. [6]

Add up all sources, including coffee, tea, energy drinks and supplements.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, keep your total intake to no more than 200 milligrams per day from all sources combined. If you have a medical condition or take medication, discuss an appropriate intake with your doctor or pharmacist. [5, 6]

If you experience restlessness, palpitations or sleep problems, pay attention to your individual response, even when your intake is below a general limit. [5]

Caffeine can support sports performance, but the timing of your workout matters when deciding whether to use it. [3]

Do you train at 7:00 p.m. and plan to sleep at 11:00 p.m.? A caffeinated pre-workout at 6:30 p.m. falls within the six hours before bedtime. Check the caffeine content per serving and include any coffee you have already had that day.

One practical option for late workouts is to skip caffeinated pre-workout supplements. Prepare for your session with an appropriate meal, fluids and a gradual warm-up.

Consider both the workout itself and how you sleep that night and feel the following day.

Feeling tired after coffee does not prove that coffee caused the tiredness. You may already be tired after a short night’s sleep while the temporary feeling of alertness wears off. Regular caffeine use can also lead to tolerance. Stopping suddenly may temporarily cause symptoms such as headaches and drowsiness. [3, 7]

Repeatedly having another coffee can make it harder to understand the pattern. First, note when you feel the dip and how you slept the night before.

If you want to reduce your caffeine intake, try gradually replacing a regular coffee with decaf. You do not have to go from a high intake to none overnight.

Use the next one to two weeks to identify your pattern. This is a practical observation exercise, not a medical test.

1. Record your starting point. For a few days, write down what you drink, how much and at what time. Include tea, energy drinks and pre-workout supplements.
2. Choose your last caffeine time. Work backward from bedtime. Start with the advice to leave a six-hour gap, and move the cutoff earlier if needed.
3. Make an alternative convenient. Have water, decaf or a caffeine-free drink ready for the time when you would usually reach for coffee.
4. Keep a brief sleep diary. Record your bedtime, estimated time to fall asleep, awakenings and how rested you feel. Look at several nights.
5. Review the pattern. Did stopping earlier coincide with better sleep? Keep that routine. If you notice no difference, consider other factors too.

A simple entry could look like this:

Last coffee: 3:00 p.m. Bedtime: 11:00 p.m. Estimated time to fall asleep: 20 minutes. Woke once. Felt reasonably rested in the morning.

For other habits that may support your sleep, read our eight practical tips to improve your sleep.

If you continue to sleep poorly and it affects you during the day, speak to your doctor. Caffeine can be a factor, but it does not explain every sleep problem. [1]

Should you wait 90 minutes after waking before drinking coffee?

There is no strong scientific basis for making this a universal rule to prevent an afternoon slump. A review by Antonio and colleagues discusses why the usual reasoning behind this advice is not well supported. Choose a morning routine that suits you, and pay particular attention to your total intake and the timing of your last caffeine. [3]

Can black or green tea affect your sleep?

Yes. Both contain caffeine, so include them in your total intake. If you want a warm drink later in the day, choose one labeled caffeine-free. [8]

Is decaf completely caffeine-free?

Usually not. Decaf typically contains a small amount of caffeine. The table above shows how it compares with regular coffee. [7]

Does everyone need to stop drinking coffee completely?

No. There is no single amount or fixed cutoff time that affects everyone in the same way. Consider your total intake, bedtime and individual response. Having your last coffee earlier or choosing a smaller serving may be a manageable adjustment.

A busy schedule calls for an approach you can maintain. At Aurora Personal Training in Eindhoven, we look beyond your exercises to the habits around your training: nutrition, sleep, recovery and how you organize your week.

We help you make practical choices that fit your goals and daily life. A clear training plan and achievable commitments give you a routine to follow.

Want structured support? Explore our 90-Day Fit & Strong Program in Eindhoven.

Book a free introductory session at Aurora Personal Training to discuss an approach that suits you.

1. Thuisarts: advice on sleeping better (Dutch).
2. Gardiner et al.: Dose and timing effects of caffeine on subsequent sleep: a randomized clinical crossover trial. Sleep, 2025; published online in 2024.
3. Antonio et al. (2024): Common questions and misconceptions about caffeine supplementation.
4. EFSA: Caffeine explained — half-life and metabolism, factsheet.
5. Netherlands Nutrition Centre: caffeine (Dutch).
6. EFSA: Caffeine — intake levels and safety assessment.
7. Netherlands Nutrition Centre: coffee (Dutch).
8. Netherlands Nutrition Centre: tea (Dutch).