I often have trouble falling asleep, suffer from insomnia, and feel tired. I've heard that you shouldn't drink coffee if you have insomnia. Can I use cocoa to improve my mood? (Phuc Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City)
Reply:
Similar to coffee, the sleep-affecting component in cocoa is caffeine. Caffeine affects the brain quite quickly once it enters the body. Specifically, it is absorbed by the small intestine in about 30-60 minutes, depending on the individual. After that, caffeine crosses the blood-brain barrier, affecting the brain as well as the entire body.
Inside the brain, caffeine blocks adenosine receptors. Normally, adenosine accumulates in the brain when we are awake; the higher the amount of adenosine, the sleepier we feel. Therefore, by blocking adenosine receptors, caffeine keeps the body alert for longer periods and prevents drowsiness.
According to research by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the half-life of caffeine typically ranges from 4 to 6 hours. The half-life can be simply understood as the time it takes for the body to metabolize 50% of the caffeine consumed. Because the half-life of caffeine can extend up to 6 hours, even consuming cocoa in the afternoon can still cause difficulty falling asleep or insomnia at night.
Cocoa contains caffeine, which can make it difficult for some people to sleep. (Image: Freepik)
The caffeine content in cocoa is approximately 230 mg per 100 g, lower than that in coffee (around 500-700 mg per 100 g). However, if you suffer from insomnia, drinking cocoa can still keep you awake and make it harder to fall asleep. This can also affect your circadian rhythm because caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, further exacerbating insomnia. Besides cocoa, people with insomnia should also avoid other caffeinated beverages such as coffee and tea.
Doctor Tran Thi Tra Phuong
Nutrihome Nutrition Clinic System
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