OT: Blasted Caffeine!! - YouLookFab Forum

So its 11pm here in Aus, and usually I am fast asleep at this time of night... but the past 3 nights I've been struggling to fall asleep, despite being tired and ready for bed much earlier.

And I just had the lightbulb moment as to why!!!

I am VERY sensitive to caffeine - I cannot have even a cup of weak tea after about 4pm or I'm up at night.

For the past few nights i've been having a small snack of dark chocolate before heading to bed... well silly old me forgot that dark choc is actually quite high in caffeine didn't I?!?!!!!

So I'm lying in bed having this little epiphany, decided to quickly jump online to confirm my suspicions... and what does a gal do at 11pm when she is tired and online... check out YLF of course!!!!

I'm not writing any more though cos I'm sure I'm in a caffeine induced rambling mood!

Although for anyone who's curious here is a chart of *approx* caffeine quantities! (Can't guarantee the accuracy, but its interesting it says decaf coffee has 1-5mg of caffeine because I swear I can get a caffeine reaction to a decaf coffee - so maybe I'm not so nuts after all LOL)

http://coffeetea.about.com/library/blcaffeine.htm

15 years ago

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Yikes! Sorry, Theresa Hope you get some rest soon!!

Dusty

Active Member

A-yup! And caffeine has a half-life of about 6 hours in the system. A big part of why I have't really eaten chocolate in about 14 years!

MNsara

My sympathies -- I hate those nights! I realized recently that even decaf coffee with dessert when out for dinner means laying awake for a lo-o-ong time that night

My 16-y.o. has the same problem with a cup of hot chocolate in the evening (although he does typically make chocolate sludge!).

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

I am lucky in that caffine doesn't seem to affect my sleep. I do (even when not pregnant) limit my intake though and I have always been careful to not use it to wake myself up in the morning - so working or not, my first cup isn't normally until after 9am.

Anonymous

I cut off my caffeine intake after about 2 in the afternoon. If I enjoy a cuppa after that point, I'm up all night. Chocolate doesn't seem to make a difference though but I still limit that to late afternoon at the most. No sense in taking a chance!

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Sorry

In the same breath can I bless caffeine? My life would not be the same without it. (I drink tea not coffee).

morethanbeige

I so know what that's like. One time my husband ordered a triple mocha and I ordered a decaf mocha. We got them switched and I talked to him non-stop for about an hour. Then suddenly I stopped and said "I think I got your mocha." He looked at me with a resigned look and said "I'm fairly certain of it."

biscuitsmom

I need it too! I usually have 2 can of my beloved coke classic in the morning and then drink water the rest of the day...some meds can have the same effect- I take 5-6 tramadols a day and if I have my last one after 5 pm I cant sleep that night....

chewyspaghetti

Theresa, my body chemistry twin!
De-caf coffee still has caffeine in it- as much as cocoa powder. Luckily, I am not a big coffee drinker, because de-caf also affects me. I get a big buzz off of it now. I used to just have one cup of de-caf per week, but I've cut down even more than that. I'm not supposed to have caffeine at all, so I am saving the de-caf coffee on rare occasions when I have to get up really early and be somewhere. I found a reduced caffeine cocoa powder that I can use if I eat it earlier in the day (that's probably why I was up in the middle of the night last night- I made a brownie in the evening!), it's called Wonder Cocoa. I have to get it at a special health food store, but at least I can tolerate it.

Theresa

hehe I am so pleased to be in the midst of such fabulous other caffeine sensitive folk!!

I finally got to sleep about 1am (after I'd dealt with a coughing fit from one girl and a scary dream from another), and slept like a log... but even now a full day and a half later I'm still feeling weary.

But no more dark chocolate!!!!

Khris this is a bit freaky isn't it!!! Between all this food and hypo stuff, and even having kids with issues... I'd offer you to be an adoptive big sister but I wouldn't wish my family on anyone LOL I usually cook with Carob when I cook for myself and have zero problems then!

Morethanbeige - that is SO like me too! I went for a leg wax one day after having had a "decaf" coffee with a friend and my waxer (brothers girlfriend so she knows me well), was laughing at how much I was talking and I spoke to my friend later who said she needed an extra coffee because she didn't think hers had an impact - so I'd say we were switched too!!!

Oh well, my morning cup of nice strong black, unsweetened tea is enough for me

medusa

This is why I have dark chocolate at breakfast.

Kyle

Next time you can't sleep try some melatonin. I've been there. I have a love-hate relationship with caffeine. I call it my only remaining vice, since I don't drink, smoke, or eat junk (not much, anyway). I am clearly addicted and it helps me with my 12 hour workdays, travel, family, home and all other aspects of my hectic life. Yet I am also very sensitive. Always suspected that decaf was not 100 percent clean...I almost always have trouble sleeping after a dinner out. Very interesting!

Beth

Aw Theresa, I'm glad you finally fell to sleep *and* that you figured out the problem.

Caffeine doesn't usually bother me, but one night I took a painkiller with caffeine and not thinking, then had a caffeinated drink. You could have peeled me off the ceiling that night. I'm pretty sure I didn't sleep a wink and was still awake the next morning, watching the sun rise. And I can usually sleep anywhere, anytime.

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