Caffeine is a substance that can be extracted from natural plants or produced synthetically. It is often extracted from coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa beans. We often consume caffeine in coffee, tea, some soft beverages, such as energy drinks, chocolates, and caffeine pills. Caffeine is widely used to keep us awake. But the big question is: How does it keep us awake? This paper’s principal goal is to discuss how caffeine keeps us awake. Caffeine helps us stay alert, focused, and energetic by blocking adenosine, increasing adrenaline production, and delaying dopamine reabsorption.
Caffeine keeps us awake by stimulating our central nervous system. It blocks a substance known as adenosine, a molecule that triggers sleep (Qasim, 2017; Nunez, 2018). Adenosine regulates sleep by promoting drowsiness. Caffeine is an “adenosine receptor antagonist” (Qasim, 2017, n.p). It inhibits the function of adenosine by blocking it. This is due to caffeine’s structural resemblance to the neurotransmitter adenosine. For this reason, caffeine can wedge into the adenosine receptors. However, coffee does not slow the cell’s activity as adenosine would. Simply put, “adenosine inhibits neurons,” whereas “caffeine inhibits the inhibitor,” hence stimulating us or keeping us awake and alert (Qasim, 2017). Thus, caffeine keeps us awake by stimulating our central nervous system.
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Aside from influencing our neurons, caffeine also keeps us awake by increasing the production of adrenaline. As stated earlier, caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist. Thus, it lets excitatory neurotransmitters, particularly those that fuel our brains, move about freely. This triggers neuron firing, which, in turn, induces the pituitary gland to release adrenaline, a “fight or flight” hormone (Qasim, 2017). This hormone boosts energy in a wide range of ways, including increasing blood pressure and elevating the heart rate. Thus, caffeine keeps us awake by increasing the production of adrenaline, which boosts our energy.
Aside from increasing our alertness and boosting our energy, caffein also keeps us awake by delaying the reabsorption of dopamine, a molecule that promotes the feeling of pleasure (Qasim, 2017). Elevated levels of dopamine make us feel good; it improves our moods. Caffeine increases the amount of dopamine in our brain by delaying the body from reabsorbing it. In other words, caffeine slows the rate at which the body reabsorbs dopamine from the brain. This results in the elevation of dopamine levels in the brain for a short time, thus improving our moods. This is one of the reasons why caffeine is addictive. An individual who takes too much caffeine becomes accustomed to the elevated dopamine levels. Thus, caffeine keeps us awake by delaying dopamine reabsorption.
Personally, coffee helps me keep awake. I usually take it to fight drowsiness and promote arousal. Its effect usually kicks in 30 to 1 hour after consuming it. Afterward, I start to become alert as well as feel energized. These positive effects is what make me keep reaching for a cup of coffee every day. However, it important to note that caffeine can cause some horrid side effects, especially if consumed excessively. It can lead to addiction as well as raise our blood pressure and make us feel anxious. Thus, one should not consume caffeine excessively to avoid its negative effects.
To sum up, caffeine is one of the most consumed substances in the world. It helps us stay alert, focused, and energetic by blocking adenosine, increasing adrenaline production, and delaying dopamine reabsorption. However, excessive consumption of caffeine can lead to addiction and increase blood pressure. That said, reaching for a cup or two of coffee should not be a cause of concern. Taking more than two, though, may lead to the health complications outlined above.
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References
Nunez, K. (2018). How caffeine keeps you awake. [Online]. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/how-caffeine-keeps-you-awake
Qasim, H. (2017). How does caffeine keep us awake? – Hanan Qasim. [Online]. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foLf5Bi9qXs
