Can Decaf Coffee Keep You Awake?

 

Although decaf coffee has less caffeine than fully caffeinated coffee, it still contains some caffeine. A common mistake coffee drinkers make is assuming decaf is caffeine-free, so they drink multiple cups, thinking it’s fine, but this adds up.

Decaf coffee can keep you awake, especially if you are sensitive to caffeine or drink it in the evening. Decaf contains 15-30% of the caffeine of regular coffee; that’s around 2-15mg per cup. Depending on body type and physical makeup, this could still cause issues falling and staying asleep.

Why is there caffeine in decaf? 

The decaffeination process is lengthy, complicated, and flawed. It is nearly impossible to extract all of the caffeine from a coffee bean.

There are several methods for decaffeination, with solvent extraction techniques the most common. After green coffee beans have been harvested and dried, they are soaked in a solvent that binds to the caffeine molecules and leeches them out.

Typically, there are multiple rounds of extraction. Each method has a different number of rounds with varying steps and chemical processes. 

However, it is only possible to remove some of the caffeine molecules – and not all can be removed. The amount of caffeine extracted is determined by how strongly the solvents can pull those caffeine molecules out.

So even though we say decaffeinated coffee, it doesn’t mean it does not have caffeine. 

So how much caffeine does decaf have?

Decaffeinated coffee is made using the same beans as regular coffee but has had most of its caffeine removed. The result is a cup of coffee with very low caffeine levels – usually 97% less than regular coffee.

But according to sleep expert and TED speaker Matthew Walker, decaf coffee contains 15-30% of the caffeine of regular coffee. This means that it will leave you just as wired as regular coffee. 

Decaf coffee generally has around 2-15 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce cup, which is much lower than the average for regular coffee (95-200 milligrams). However, not all decaf is created equal, with some decaffeinated long blacks reportedly containing up to 30mg of caffeine.

The amount of caffeine present after extraction is largely determined by how much caffeine was present to begin with. The amount varies with different types of beans and growth regions. However, it also depends on the manufacturer’s decaffeination technique and the consumer’s brewing method.

How Decaf Coffee Affects Different People

Although there is some caffeine in decaf coffee, the amount is insufficient to affect most people. However, this also depends on a few factors, including caffeine sensitivity, which is mainly genetic, and caffeine tolerance, which develops with regular consumption.

People who are mildly or moderately sensitive to caffeine and regularly consume caffeine are unlikely to be affected by the low caffeine content of decaf. 

But even a tiny amount of caffeine can be a lot for a small percentage of highly caffeine-sensitive people. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, you may be caffeine sensitive if you experience caffeine’s adverse side effects after a cup of decaf coffee. These include quickening heart rate or feeling jittery, anxious, nauseous, or restless. In rare cases, panic attacks can be triggered by the overuse of caffeine. 

While no significant health benefits are associated with drinking decaffeinated coffee, it can be a great way to enjoy the taste without worrying about negative side effects like jitteriness or headaches. Additionally, switching to decaf coffee is an excellent way to reduce caffeine intake. If you do accidently consume too much caffeine, L-Theanine may help to counteract the anxiety you may experience. 

The trace amount of caffeine in decaf may also be an issue for anyone attempting to avoid or reduce caffeine intake due to a medical condition. These people suffer from sleep disorders such as insomnia, various liver diseases that cause impaired liver function, and migraines where caffeine is a trigger. 

Effect of Decaf Coffee on Sleep

While it does have lower levels of caffeine, research has shown that even small amounts of caffeine can still disrupt a person’s sleep cycle. So yes, drinking decaf coffee does keep you awake because it still has caffeine. 

Whether you are affected depends on the time of day. Caffeine’s effects generally peak within an hour and can linger in the body for four to six hours. Drinking decaf coffee at 11 in the morning will not affect your sleep 12 hours later. But if you’re ordering decaf after dinner, that may cause a problem at bedtime.

What’s the point of decaf coffee?

Decaf isn’t always made for people who can’t drink caffeine. 

It’s designed for those who enjoy coffee but want to brew a fresh cup in the morning before heading off to work or school without having to worry about ‘bouncing off the walls’ or making excessive trips to the toilet. 

Decaf coffee is also made for those who suffer from stomach problems caused by caffeine consumption, even though it is not always less acidic than regular caffeinated coffee. 

Most people are simply unaware of how they react to caffeine because they have consumed it their entire lives. However, many people experience acidity from caffeinated coffee, even if unaware of it.

Wrapping Up

So can decaffeinated coffee keep you awake? It’s certainly possible 

While decaf coffee can be enjoyed as a way to enjoy the taste of coffee without having to experience any of the adverse side effects associated with caffeine, it is important to remember that even low levels of caffeine can still disrupt your sleep cycle. 

Therefore, if you’re looking for an effective sleep aid, avoid drinking coffee before bed, regardless of whether it’s decaf or not. 

The same is true for herbal tea or decaf tea. Enjoying the warmth of coffee or tea outweighs the risk of staying up all night or disrupting your sleep pattern. If you must drink coffee, do so in the morning or early afternoon.