• DOI:10.5664/jcsm.3170
• Corpus ID: 23353670

Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed.

@article{Drake2013CaffeineEO,
  title={Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed.},
  author={Christopher L. Drake and Timothy Roehrs and John R. Shambroom and Thomas Roth},
  journal={Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine},
  year={2013},
  volume={9 11},
  pages={
          1195-200
        }
}

• C. Drake, T. Roehrs, +1 author T. Roth
• Published 15 November 2013
• Medicine
• Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

STUDY OBJECTIVE
Sleep hygiene recommendations are widely disseminated despite the fact that few systematic studies have investigated the empirical bases of sleep hygiene in the home environment. For example, studies have yet to investigate the relative effects of a given dose of caffeine administered at different times of day on subsequent sleep.

METHODS
This study compared the potential sleep disruptive effects of a fixed dose of caffeine (400 mg) administered at 0, 3, and 6 hours prior to habitual bedtime relative to a placebo on self-reported sleep in the home. Sleep disturbance was also monitored objectively using a validated portable sleep monitor.

RESULTS
Results demonstrated a moderate dose of caffeine at bedtime, 3 hours prior to bedtime, or 6 hours prior to bedtime each have significant effects on sleep disturbance relative to placebo (p < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSION
The magnitude of reduction in total sleep time suggests that caffeine taken 6 hours before bedtime has important disruptive effects on sleep and provides empirical support for sleep hygiene recommendations to refrain from substantial caffeine use for a minimum of 6 hours prior to bedtime.