How long does caffeine stay in your body and how does it affect your rest?
Find your ideal time to sleep or wake up
Calculate my sleep cycles →The half-life of caffeine is 5–6 hours. That means if you have a coffee at 3 PM, by 9 PM you will still have 50% of that caffeine in your system. By 1 AM, 25% will remain.
| Time of coffee | 50% remaining | 25% remaining |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | 2:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 12:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 12:00 AM |
| 3:00 PM | 9:00 PM | 3:00 AM |
| 5:00 PM | 11:00 PM | 5:00 AM |
| Drink | Caffeine (mg) |
|---|---|
| Espresso (30 ml) | 63 mg |
| Americano coffee (240 ml) | 95 mg |
| Black tea (240 ml) | 47 mg |
| Green tea (240 ml) | 28 mg |
| Cola (355 ml) | 34 mg |
| Energy drink (250 ml) | 80 mg |
| Dark chocolate (50 g) | 25 mg |
The general recommendation is not to consume caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime. If you go to bed at 11 PM, your last coffee should be no later than 5 PM. If you are sensitive to caffeine, extend that to 8–10 hours.