People vary in how rapidly their bodies breakdown caffeine and in how sensitive they are to its effects.

Caffeine can certainly affect a person’s ability to sleep well for four to six hours after consumption. In some people, it can interfere with sleep for eight to twelve hours afterward.

If you have trouble getting a sound sleep, which is important for good health, record the times you have caffeine and how you feel and sleep afterward for a week or more. For most people, the amount of caffeine in a small piece of chocolate doesn’t need to be counted, but you should keep track of coffee, tea and soft drinks with caffeine, as well as any caffeine-containing pain relievers. This record will help you identify the time of day at which you should switch to non-caffeinated products or cut back.

Source: “Nutrition Wise” by Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, American Institute for Cancer Research, www.aicr.org. Reprinted with permission.