Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Anyone else who isn’t affected by caffeine?

74 replies

Kitanora · 23/05/2021 21:17

Having a chat with some friends last night who also said they can’t drink coffee after 2pm as they can’t sleep / they find they’re buzzing after a single cup of coffee etc.

I have always thought this so strange as caffeine doesn’t affect me at all. I don’t notice any effects and I can easily drink tea all evening and go to sleep easily. Anyone else?!

OP posts:
CovoidOfAllHumanity · 23/05/2021 21:56

I did find it hard to give up coffee when I was pregnant. I think I did have withdrawal headaches and I decided I would have to let myself have one proper cup a day to get going in the morning (not sure if that's chemical or just ritual but that morning coffee I need)

Cakey46 · 23/05/2021 21:58

I've just got a double espresso and its 9:58, I honestly won't have any trouble dropping off once I've finished it.

BonesJones · 23/05/2021 22:06

I used to. I could drink a ton of it, and same as others, have an energy drink then take a nap. Then I quit coffee for a few months and since starting drinking it again I can't have more than 2 cups, or drink it after lunch if I want to sleep at night! I think with dedication I could get back to it having no effect but I quite like reserving it for when I need a buzz now!

Beetlebum1981 · 23/05/2021 22:07

I used to drink cup after cup of coffee, never affected me. I found out last year that I've got ADHD, turns out that when you're ADHD you don't react the usual way to stimulants. Now I'm on medication (which is a derivative of amphetamine) if I have two full caffeine cups I get the shakes.

HeyDemonsItsYaGirl · 23/05/2021 22:08

I'm the same, a cup of coffee after dinner won't affect my sleep one iota.

OverByYer · 23/05/2021 22:09

My DH can drink caffeine before bed and makes no difference. I find if I drink tea in the evening my bladder feels ‘ irritated’ and I am up and down for a wee all night

ginoclocksomewhere · 23/05/2021 22:10

Me too. I often drink tea one after another- I can have 5 cups before work, and a couple an hour after work, don't notice any benefit/lack of sleep.
Same with red bull- have had it a couple of times when I've had long days/shifts but don't get more energy (needless to say I don't bother with it as a result!).
Don't like coffee, so I wouldn't know if that'd be different.

Tee20x · 23/05/2021 22:13

Always thought I was the odd one out - caffeine has no affect on me whatsoever and I will only drink coffee etc for the taste.

Annoying when you need a boost of energy though and nothing will help :(

Frownette · 23/05/2021 22:15

Coffee calms me down. You'd need to take anything else out of the equation to be able to be able to have a direct link which is near impossible, ceteris paribus. I can't imagine me after a year of only water, I'd probably be quite stunned! I have a nervy system.

Triphazard101 · 23/05/2021 22:20

I think it depends on what you're used to, you kind of build up a tolerance to it.
I used to drink a lot of coke. When I was pregnant I went off it and it made me feel sick. I tried some again when I was about 5 months pregnant, after the sickness had passed and i was completely wired after 1 can!
Sadly i went back to drinking it and it doesnt seem yo have the wake me up effect but i do sleep better when i cut down.

Sh05 · 23/05/2021 22:21

I'm like this. I love to sit with a cup of coffee once everyone is in bed. It's the only time I can enjoy a whole cup nice and hot.
I can also go without coffee for weeks on end so the caffeine or lack of doesn't bother me.

QueenPaw · 23/05/2021 22:21

I drink tea all day, can drink it up until right before bed and no issues. Coffee doesn't affect me either

uncomfortablydumb53 · 23/05/2021 23:35

I find coffee relaxes me. I feel no effects whatsoever from Caffeine( wish I did) and finish my last mug just before bed

NakedBanana · 23/05/2021 23:39

Would be interesting to know the ages of those not affected by caffeine.

I used think that anyone drinking decafe was a wimp!!

Then I hit 50!! And suddenly ... PING wide still wide awake until 4am if I drink a coffee after noon!

I don't even ask about cucumbers! I never used to understand when my Nan used to say "I like cucumbers but they don't like me."

I do now!!

Rockbird · 23/05/2021 23:39

No effects whatsoever. I'm not a big coffee drinker but I mainline tea all day and take hot drinks to bed. Never a problem dropping off, more of a problem staying awake! I've never felt any of the rush that people talk about even in the days when I drank coffee.

girlmama32 · 23/05/2021 23:42

My DH can drink a cup of coffee before bed and have a great night sleep, I've always found it bizarre because I'm buzzing all day after a coffee!

timeisnotaline · 23/05/2021 23:51

It’s genetic.there’s an enzyme (or something) that processes caffeine super fast. My sister has it, I assume I have it.

PickAChew · 23/05/2021 23:55

It's a genetic thing. I can't have caffeine much after lunchtime. I usually have a bucket of proper coffee with breakfast then that's it for the day. I have a fitbit and it takes about 4 hours for my heart rate to get back to normal.

PickAChew · 23/05/2021 23:58

I can manage an afternoon small caffeinated drink if I'm very active, BTW, but the usual effect of afternoon caffeine is to have me staring at the ceiling in between tossing and turning until. About 2am, then desperate for a piss at 4am and taking another hour to settle.

I just drink chamomile.

aiwblam · 24/05/2021 00:02

How old are you op?

Caffeine did absolutely nothing to me until I was 40. Nothing at all. And now I cannot bloody have it at all without palpitations!

PickAChew · 24/05/2021 00:04

@NakedBanana

Would be interesting to know the ages of those not affected by caffeine.

I used think that anyone drinking decafe was a wimp!!

Then I hit 50!! And suddenly ... PING wide still wide awake until 4am if I drink a coffee after noon!

I don't even ask about cucumbers! I never used to understand when my Nan used to say "I like cucumbers but they don't like me."

I do now!!

I started drinking decaff as a teen. Has insomnia as long as I could remember (and as a 70s child, had tea and coffee, too)

Cucumbers give me the shits.

isettled · 24/05/2021 00:08

I have my last coffee of the day just before I go to bed, just finished one just now.

I probably have about 6-8 cups a day cut down from about 12 they have no affect on my energy levels.
DH on the other hand only drinks tea or coffee if he's really tired and needs to keep going. He's really sensitive to caffeine.

AlwaysLatte · 24/05/2021 00:10

It doesn't affect me either. We usually drink 3-4 cups of fairy string cafetière coffee every day but neither of us have ever noticed any drawbacks.

littleblackno · 24/05/2021 00:12

I used to be unaffected by caffeine and would have agreed with you, but ladt few years i havr the total opposite and now avoid caffeine at all costs.

Gwenhwyfar · 24/05/2021 00:24

@TrashPanda

I don't drink hot drinks but I do drink lots of coke. I can drink it just before bed with no sleeping problems, feel no buzz or energy. I do get headaches if I don't drink it though. So it clearly does have an effect but not an obvious one unless I don't drink it.
I have a little bottle of diet coke most days. If I drink it quickly I can feel my heart beating faster! My DF says tea and coffee don't affect him though so it obviously depends.
Swipe left for the next trending thread