What Time Should You Stop Drinking Coffee for Better Sleep?
Stop caffeine about 8–10 hours before bed — here's why the afternoon cutoff matters.
A common rule of thumb is to stop drinking coffee about 8 to 10 hours before bed. Caffeine has a long half-life — meaning a meaningful portion is still in your system many hours after that afternoon cup — so a 2 or 3 p.m. coffee can still be quietly keeping you alert at bedtime, even if you don't feel wired. For a typical bedtime, that points to an early-afternoon cutoff.
People vary a lot in how fast they process caffeine, so the right cutoff is partly personal. If you fall asleep slowly or wake easily, try moving your last caffeine earlier and see if it helps. Switching to a non-caffeinated drink in the afternoon is an easy experiment. See more in building a wind-down routine.
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