Caffeine Has a Weird Effect On Your Brain While You're Asleep (sciencealert.com)
(Sunday June 08, 2025 @10:23PM (EditorDavid)
from the Java-jive dept.)
- Reference: 0177969003
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/06/08/2355252/caffeine-has-a-weird-effect-on-your-brain-while-youre-asleep
- Source link: https://www.sciencealert.com/caffeine-has-a-weird-effect-on-your-brain-while-youre-asleep
A new study "adds a whole extra level of detail to our understanding of caffeine's impact on the brain during sleep," [1]reports ScienceAlert :
> Caffeine was shown to increase brain signal complexity, and shift the brain closer to a state of 'criticality', in [2]tests run by researchers from the University of Montreal in Canada . This criticality refers to the brain being balanced between structure and flexibility, thought to be the most efficient state for processing information, learning, and making decisions. However, this state might prevent restful sleep, the researchers suggest. The caffeine isn't just keeping us alert, but actually changing how the brain is operating. What's more, they found younger adults aged 20 to 27 were more greatly affected in this way...
>
> When it comes to the different reactions across different ages, the researchers suggest that changes in the brain as we age might be responsible. [3]Adenosine molecules gradually build up in the brain during the day, leading to a greater feeling of fatigue as bedtime approaches. Caffeine works by blocking the receptors that adenosine interacts with, giving us a temporary jolt of energy. Adenosine receptors are more abundant in younger brains, which may explain why younger people seem to be more sensitive to caffeine's powers. That includes both the positive energizing effects, and the negative effects of keeping the brain too active overnight.
[1] https://www.sciencealert.com/caffeine-has-a-weird-effect-on-your-brain-while-youre-asleep
[2] https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08090-z
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenosine
> Caffeine was shown to increase brain signal complexity, and shift the brain closer to a state of 'criticality', in [2]tests run by researchers from the University of Montreal in Canada . This criticality refers to the brain being balanced between structure and flexibility, thought to be the most efficient state for processing information, learning, and making decisions. However, this state might prevent restful sleep, the researchers suggest. The caffeine isn't just keeping us alert, but actually changing how the brain is operating. What's more, they found younger adults aged 20 to 27 were more greatly affected in this way...
>
> When it comes to the different reactions across different ages, the researchers suggest that changes in the brain as we age might be responsible. [3]Adenosine molecules gradually build up in the brain during the day, leading to a greater feeling of fatigue as bedtime approaches. Caffeine works by blocking the receptors that adenosine interacts with, giving us a temporary jolt of energy. Adenosine receptors are more abundant in younger brains, which may explain why younger people seem to be more sensitive to caffeine's powers. That includes both the positive energizing effects, and the negative effects of keeping the brain too active overnight.
[1] https://www.sciencealert.com/caffeine-has-a-weird-effect-on-your-brain-while-youre-asleep
[2] https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08090-z
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenosine
tl;dnr summary (Score:2)
by wherrera ( 235520 )
Precis: The study suggests that caffeine ingestion, which is known to increase a sense of alertness in adults and can decrease human sleepiness, makes human sleep EEGs look a bit more like EEGs done in a state of actual alertness and a bit less like the average sleep EEG..
So the study discovered ... (Score:2)
by drnb ( 2434720 )
So the study discovered that caffeine can help you avoid sleepiness and stay awake? Good to know. :-)
Why was this headline red? (Score:1)
Why was the title background red?
Re: (Score:2)
Probably because Ctrl-Shift-V and Ctrl-V would be reversed in a sane GUI world.
Re: (Score:2)
Is that a joke based on reading the article? You should know that never happens around here... Or maybe not, looking at the UID.
However the story has big potential for funny, so I'll check for details at 11.
Anecdotal evidence: In my dotage I often take a morning nap and it doesn't seem to affect me whether or not I drink coffee with breakfast. But I may have some kind of REM sleep disorder...