Excellent |
If you're working long hours, it's natural to turn to caffeine for energy. The same goes if you just have a lot on your plate. This always seems like a good idea until you hit a huge caffeine crash.
The problem?
You feel even more tired and irritable than you did originally. You may experience a dip in focus, brain fog, and headaches. Sometimes you can't think clearly at all.
Thankfully, I've gone deep into toxin-free brews and natural energy boosters. Today I'm sharing some practical tips with you. Most importantly, these are ways to enjoy caffeine without the crash.
I’m James Bellis, founder, barista, and coffee trainer. For over 12 years, I’ve worked with more than 100 roasters across the UK, brewing coffee for over 199,000 people. I also hold an SCA Coffee Skills Diploma, which reflects my love for healthy coffee.
Here are nine of our top tips for drinking coffee without an energy crash.
But first, what is this dreaded caffeine crash
What is a Caffeine Crash?
A caffeine crash is a sudden drop in energy and alertness as caffeine's effects wear off. It typically happens 3 to 6 hours after consumption, once caffeine stops blocking adenosine, a sleep-signalling brain chemical. Adenosine then floods the brain, causing fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
1. Try Lion's Mane Mushroom Coffee
Are you one of the millions suffering from that afternoon coffee crash?
Mushroom coffee blends regular caffeine with adaptogenic mushroom extracts. Lion's Mane is one of the most studied of these. Nicknamed the 'smart mushroom', it's been studied for effects on brain function, anxiety, and immune support.
Pairing a mushroom extract with coffee doesn't remove caffeine's effects. Some drinkers find it softens the comedown instead. That's because adaptogenic compounds work on the body's stress response.
Caffeine, by contrast, works on the central nervous system.
If you'd like to try it, our Lion's Mane Mushroom Coffee uses a dual-extract of Lion's Mane. It's worth testing for a week or two to see how it compares to your usual cup.
2. Know Your Own Caffeine Tolerance
Not everyone crashes at the same point, and that's not random.
How quickly your body clears caffeine depends on genetics, age, and whether you smoke. Caffeine's half-life can range from around 1.5 hours in some people to 10 hours in others. That alone explains why two people drinking the same cup can feel completely different effects.
Habit plays a role, too. Your body adjusts to whatever amount of caffeine you usually drink. The sharpest crashes tend to show up when you have noticeably more or less than your normal dose.
That's worth knowing before you change anything else on this list. If you've recently increased your coffee intake or switched brands, that shift could be the real cause. Or it could simply be that you skipped your usual cup.
A short walk after your coffee can also help. Light movement supports circulation and calms your nervous system. That's something caffeine alone can't do.
If caffeine tends to hit you harder than most, give our Stability Blend a try. It's built for a steadier lift, with less caffeine.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
This may seem obvious, or even counterintuitive. Coffee is mostly made from water (97%). Recent research suggests it counts toward your daily fluids almost as well as water does.
Caffeine does have a mild diuretic effect. But for regular coffee drinkers, this is largely offset by the fluid in the coffee itself. So the net effect is smaller than most people assume.
Still, it's a good habit to drink water alongside your coffee.
But drinking water goes further than that. Drinking water with coffee can help prevent an energy crash. That's because it keeps you more hydrated overall.
Now we'll dive into the reason behind the dreaded crash.
The reason for the energy crash comes down to one thing: adenosine. Coffee blocks a brain chemical called adenosine, and that's what triggers the crash.
Adenosine is what signals sleepiness. When caffeine blocks it, your brain stays awake and alert.
However, when you're drinking coffee, your brain doesn't stop producing adenosine.
So when the caffeine wears off, all that extra adenosine floods your brain. That leaves you feeling even more tired than before.
Drinking water before or during your coffee will help reduce this effect while cleansing your palate.
When you're drinking speciality-grade coffee, additional hydration is a must.
4. Get a Good Night Sleep
Another way to stop adenosine from overwhelming your brain is simple: get a good night's sleep.
When you're tired, you'll already have a higher level of adenosine in your brain. The caffeine crash will definitely hit you hard if you're drinking coffee in this state.
There are many ways to help ensure a good night's rest. Firstly, don't consume caffeine after 6 pm! Caffeine has a half-life of around five hours.
Think of 6 pm as the outer limit, not the target. Tip 5 below covers a tighter cutoff for anyone who wants to further protect their sleep quality.
That's an average, and effects can linger well beyond it for slower metabolizers. Don't get into a cycle of drinking coffee in the evening and staying awake. That just means needing even more coffee the next morning.
High levels of caffeine have also been linked to insomnia. This means difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. If you struggle with sleep, try cutting down on your daily coffee.
You can also help yourself get a good night's sleep by:
- Limiting screen use before bed
- Relaxing with a meditative podcast
- Sticking to a sleep schedule
Of course, caffeine affects everyone differently. Some people can go straight to bed after coffee with no problem at all.
So experiment with your last coffee of the day to see what works best for you. This will definitely stop energy crashes from coffee.
5. Spread Out Your Caffeine Intake
Spreading your cups of coffee throughout the day will also help reduce the risk of an energy crash.
Instead of knocking back coffee after coffee, space your drinks out. Leave at least a couple of hours between each caffeinated drink.
This releases caffeine more steadily over a longer period. It helps sustain your energy, since the highs and lows are less extreme. Rather than get yourself into a 'jittery state', you'll feel more alert for longer.
Having your first cup between 9 and 11:30 am is ideal. A second cup between 1 and 2 pm works well too. Both line up nicely with breakfast and lunch.
This gives you a double boost of short and long-term energy. It also helps you enjoy the coffee more. You're not just thinking about your next caffeine fix.
It's also best not to drink a cup of coffee right as you wake up in the morning. We know it's tempting to get that sudden jolt the moment you wake up. But this actually goes against your body's natural circadian rhythm.
When you wake up, your circadian rhythm releases cortisol, the 'stress steroid'. It makes you alert and awake.
Research on caffeine and cortisol shows your body already produces its own alertness boost. This happens in the first hour or so after waking. So any caffeine you drink during that window is doing less work than you'd think.
You'll get the energy crash... but without any real benefit.
Additionally, make that second cup your last one of the day. Finish by 2 pm if you want to protect your sleep quality that evening.
That's earlier than the general 6 pm cutoff mentioned above. Research on caffeine and sleep quality is mixed, but an earlier cutoff is the safer bet.
This gives your body enough time to clear the coffee from your system. That helps set you up for a well-rested night's sleep.
6. Eat Well
It's also a good idea to always drink coffee on a full stomach. There are lots of reasons for this. Firstly, nutritious food gives you a long-lasting source of energy.
It'll keep you going throughout the day.
Caffeine, in comparison, is a short-term source of energy. So if you drink coffee without eating, you're relying only on that short-term energy. And that runs out very quickly!
By eating before you drink coffee, you're giving yourself two sources of energy.
This gives you both a short-term energy surge and a longer-lasting store. That store lasts you the whole day.
We suggest drinking coffee with or right after a balanced meal.
Great sources of long-lasting energy include brown rice, eggs, bananas, nuts, and sweet potatoes. Furthermore, if coffee sometimes makes you feel sick, you should definitely eat a nutritious meal before drinking it.
Coffee is acidic. Drinking it on an empty stomach can increase stomach acid production. That can leave you feeling nauseous.
It's also worth avoiding acidic foods like grapefruit, oranges, and tomatoes while drinking coffee. That's especially true if this is a problem for you.
We've covered this in more detail in our post on drinking coffee on an empty stomach.
7. Avoid the Caffeine Crash with Decaf Coffee
Finally, a surefire way to avoid caffeine crashes is to avoid caffeine altogether!
We don't suggest stopping coffee completely. Instead, try switching one or two of your coffees to decaf.
We know decaffeinated coffee has a bad reputation. But trust us: speciality-grade decaf tastes just as good as the caffeinated stuff.
We've written a whole blog post about decaf ground coffee, including why it has a bad reputation. It also explains why we think you should give our speciality-grade decaf a go.
8. Plant-Based Alternatives to Caffeine
Okay, so decaf isn't the only way you can stop the caffeine crash from coffee, too.
If a non-caffeinated substitute doesn't excite you, there's still an option worth trying. The best vegan protein powder on the market for an energy boost might do the trick.
Jrny shakes replace caffeine with natural alternatives, including Iron, B12, B6, and Vitamin C. That makes them a solid way to avoid an energy crash. They also have the added benefit of aiding digestion.
It also contains a healthy dose of magnesium. That makes it one of the best magnesium supplements around.
It's not the traditional energy booster. But if you want a healthy, plant-based answer to energy crashes, this might be the Jrny worth starting.
9. Mushroom Supplements for Balance
On the topic of mushrooms, here's another option. Consider alternative mushroom supplements to help your body find balance.
For example, Lyfefuel uses a blend of adaptogenic mushrooms and medicinal herbs. These are shown to boost adaptive capacity, regulate hormones, and reduce overwhelm.
Adaptogenic mushrooms and medicinal herbs are known for their strong, bitter flavours. That can make them challenging to consume on their own.
This is where capsules can come in handy. They make it easy to feel the benefits without any of the bitter notes.
You can also head to our shop to see what decaf coffees we currently have available! Lots of our customers have great things to say about our decaf.
Those are nine practical changes. If you're still working out exactly what's happening, you're not alone. Here are the most common questions about caffeine crashes.
People Also Ask (FAQ)
What are the symptoms of a caffeine crash?
Fatigue, irritability, foggy concentration, and sometimes a mild headache or queasiness are the most common signs. For most people, it feels like the opposite of whatever boost caffeine gave them. Our guide to the effects of caffeine covers the full list in more depth.
Why do I crash after drinking coffee?
Caffeine blocks adenosine, the chemical that signals sleepiness, without stopping your brain from making it. Once the caffeine wears off, that backlog floods in all at once. The "Drink Plenty of Water" section above explains how this builds.
How hard it hits also depends on your own tolerance. It depends, too, on whether you've had more or less caffeine than usual. The "Know Your Own Caffeine Tolerance" section above covers this in more detail.
How long after coffee does a crash usually start?
Typically, anywhere from 3 to 6 hours, depending on how quickly your body metabolises caffeine.
Does everyone get a caffeine crash?
No, not everyone gets one. Some people rarely notice one, especially if they stick to a consistent amount, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep. Others are more sensitive due to genetics or an inconsistent caffeine routine.
How long does a caffeine crash last?
Most crashes ease off within 30 minutes to two hours. Poor sleep or dehydration tends to stretch that out.
Is a caffeine crash the same as caffeine withdrawal?
No, and it's worth telling the two apart. A crash happens as caffeine wears off, usually within a few hours of your last cup. Withdrawal shows up later, typically 12 to 24 hours after you skip your usual amount.
It brings on headaches, fatigue, and irritability. If a "crash" hits you a full day after coffee, it's more likely withdrawal.
Whichever of these sounds like you, the fix is usually one of the changes above. There's no need to cut out coffee altogether.
