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#650: Dr. Matthew Walker, All Things Sleep — How to Improve Sleep, How Sleep Ties Into Alzheimer’s Disease and Weight Gain, and How Medications (Ambien, Trazodone, etc.), Caffeine, THC/CBD, Psychedelics, Exercise, Smart Drugs, Fasting, and More Affect Sleep

The Tim Ferriss Show

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Caffeine: How It Works and Why It's Associated with Health Benefits

Caffeine is a chemical stimulant that works by competing with adenosine, a chemical that builds up in the brain and makes us feel sleepy. Caffeine latches onto adenosine receptors and blocks the signal of sleepiness without inhibiting the receptors. This explains why caffeine can make us feel awake even though the adenosine and sleepiness are still present. However, caffeine can disrupt sleep in several ways. Firstly, it prolongs the time it takes to fall asleep. Additionally, caffeine increases anxiety and activates the flight or flight response, making it difficult to shift into the restful branch of the nervous system needed for sleep.

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