Why coffee with every meal?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
How can anyone sleep if they drink coffee before bed?

My :twocents::

It would seem they didn't think or know coffee before bed should cause insomnia, so it just doesn't cause insomnia. We, on the other hand, have heard ad nauseum that caffeine before bed will cause trouble sleeping, so it really, really does cause insomnia, beyond the physiological effect, probably because we expect it. Or something like that.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
My :twocents::

It would seem they didn't think or know coffee before bed should cause insomnia, so it just doesn't cause insomnia. We, on the other hand, have heard ad nauseum that caffeine before bed will cause trouble sleeping, so it really, really does cause insomnia, beyond the physiological effect, probably because we expect it. Or something like that.

Yes. This is a classic self-fulfilling prophecy. If you expect something to occur (insomnia), sooner or later it will occur (not being able to fall asleep).

oramar

5,758 Posts

Our hospital does not do this, and especially since I'm on the cardiac unit, most patients need a doctor's order to allow caffeine.

But, I do agree with the observation that a lot of elderly folks take coffee with every meal, even dinner. Some even like it after dinner, before bed.

Yup, I was going to say same thing. Older people come from a tradition of coffee at every meal. I am older baby boomer and I think the tradition changed with us. Most people my age will have something else from lunch thru supper even though we still like it early in day. By the way neither my parents or my husbands parents had any interest in soda. They never touched the stuff. Of course one must say that there is always a exception to every rule. I am merely speaking of trends.

Specializes in Gerontology.

Our pts get coffee at breakfast and supper. Even when a pt orders Tea, some numskull will change it to coffee.

Our latest development is that none of our longer term pts get fluids at lunch - "because they get soup and that's a fluid". They say this is cost - cutting. all it means is that nursing has to make a trip to the pantry to get them the juice/mild they want.

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I disagree that it's all in your head that coffee can keep you awake at night. It has caffeine and that is a stimulant. In some people caffeine has the opposite effect, similar to ritalin calming down hyperactive kids. But commonsense tells me that caffeine will help keep you awake at night.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I disagree that it's all in your head that coffee can keep you awake at night. It has caffeine and that is a stimulant. In some people caffeine has the opposite effect, similar to ritalin calming down hyperactive kids. But commonsense tells me that caffeine will help keep you awake at night.
Although nicotine is a stimulant, some people will not be able to fall asleep if they don't enjoy their last cigarette of the night. Commonsense would dictate that the nicotine keeps people awake, but in many people it just does not have that insomniac effect. The same goes for coffee.
Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
I disagree that it's all in your head that coffee can keep you awake at night. It has caffeine and that is a stimulant. In some people caffeine has the opposite effect, similar to ritalin calming down hyperactive kids. But commonsense tells me that caffeine will help keep you awake at night.

I didn't say it's "all" in one's head. Caffeine clearly has some stimulant effect.

I think the belief that coffee before bed can cause insomnia produces a result beyond the physiological effect of the caffeine. Belief and expectation are so powerful - even when you are aware of it.

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Here's a real-life example of what I'm talking about. A couple weeks ago I met a friend at Starbucks at about 8 PM and had a caffeinated latte. We had such a blast, laughing, talking, etc, and she told me some things so big/interesting that made me forget I had caffeine and should have insomnia. I went home, went to bed, and forgot I had a caffeinated drink before bed. I slept ok. I tossed and turned a little bit, but did sleep. In the morning, I thought to myself, oh yeah, I had that latte.

On the other hand, I can think of a time a couple months ago when I went out at about the same time, had a latte, and came home unable to sleep. It was on my mind that I couldn't sleep and it was due to the latte. I did not sleep very much that night, maybe five hours.

Both times the physiological effect of the caffeine was the same, a little bit of a stimulant effect. But one time I forgot I had the caffeine, so I slept OK.

nursemike, ASN, RN

1 Article; 2,362 Posts

Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

I try to limit my coffee intake to just a couple pots a day. Occassionally, coffee too close to bedtime does give me insomnia. Never used to--in fact, a cup of coffee was my insomnia cure. I think the relaxing effect of a hot liquid can outwiegh the effects of caffeine, and a hot cup of decaf still helps me sleep.

I tend to attribute the change to aging, but it probably has a lot to do with working nocs.

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I drink coffee all day long :) Even sometimes before I go to bed, it helps me sleep for some reason! LOL! Coffee for me HELPS me get to sleep at bedtime for some reason and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one.

RNMom2010

454 Posts

Specializes in Home Health, Case Management, OR.

Yeah I drink coffee all day long as well and have not found it affecting my sleep on a regular basis. Strangely, if I consume soda or iced tea before bed I am awake all night, and it even gives me heart palpitations. I love my coffee, and anyone who tries to take it away from me is going to have one heck of a crabby woman on their hands!

runnergal74

23 Posts

Specializes in Emergency.

I never understood this either. I work in the ER and see it basically served with every tray i order. i dont get it either. i will see it also with cardiac patients too. they will ask for it and if tests are still pending we will hold it per ER doc but most of the time it is allowed. weird...

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