Jason E. Andersen

Bonus Fun Fact: I’m new to drinking coffee and I’m sorting out how it affects me throughout the day. I’ve found out that drinking the bottom half of my coffee during my drive home (which does keep me awake for my interstate travel) tends to be a huge mistake when sleepy time comes later in the evening. It turns out that the stimulating effect of caffeine can last up to 4-6 hours for most people, or up to double that if you’re particularly sensitive to it. I’m still trying to work out which end of that I’m on.

Bonus Bonus Fun Fact: Caffeine works as a stimulant because the molecular shape of caffeine is very similar to the shape of Adenosine, which, among other functions in the body, serves as a chemical messenger in the brain that promotes sleep. During the time you are awake, the concentration of Adenosine increases in your brain. As the concentration gets higher throughout the day (or night if that’s your thing), Adenosine bonds to receptors in your brain. Once enough of them are activated, your brain gets the message that it’s time to go to sleep and so, you get tired. Caffeine, because of its similar shape to Adenosine, can bind to those receptors and block Adenosine from doing its job, thus keeping you awake and alert (and urinating frequently).