Caffeine & Sleep Disturbances in Children

Even minimal caffeine consumption has been shown to negatively affect a child's sleep patterns. It is important for parents to monitor caffeine consumption in children to prevent sleep disturbances and a variety of other health concerns.

  1. Caffeine and Sleep Disturbances

    • Upon ingestion, caffeine enters the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine and can have a stimulating effect in as little as 15 minutes. It is important to note that no nutritional need is met by consuming caffeine. However, negative sleep effects can occur, and according to the National Sleep Foundation, even moderate consumption of caffeine can result in insomnia. A study in the Journal of Pediatrics reports that approximately one in four children who consumed caffeine slept less than nine hours per night. Older children, age 8 to 12 years old, slept an average of 8.47 hours per night, which is below the minimum proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of nine hours.

    Sources of Caffeine

    • Caffeine is found naturally in more than 60 plants and in a variety of drinks and foods. Some sources of caffeine are widely known such as coffee, chocolate, tea and energy drinks. However, caffeine also lurks in other more conspicuous places. One tablet of cold relief medication can contain 30 mg of caffeine. Gauging caffeine consumption can be difficult. In the Journal of Pediatrics study, parents of children age 8 to 12 were thought to consume on average 23 milligrams of caffeine. However, once the caffeine consumption was calculated, children in the study were averaging 109 milligrams per day. Looking for hidden caffeine sources by reading labels is essential for proper caffeine tracking in children.

    Safe Quantities of Caffeine

    • KidsHealth points out that though the U.S. does not have caffeine guidelines for children, Canadian health officials do. A child age 10 to 12 should consume no more than 85 milligrams of caffeine per day and even less if younger than 10. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics shows that caffeine consumption and hours slept were signiʂ57;cantly correlated. Even just 52 milligrams of caffeine had a negative effect on the child's sleep patterns.

    Other Considerations

    • Sleep disturbances are common in children who consume caffeine, but there are other health problems associated with caffeine consumption. Too much caffeine can cause stomach aches, headaches and a racing heartbeat. Children with heart problems should not drink caffeine because it's known to affect heart rates and force the heart to work harder than normal. Caffeine can also cause excessive urination, irritability and anxiety.

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