Study Shows Caffeine Works Better When Rested

Research from the University of Birmingham confirmed something that feels obvious once you hear it: caffeine works better when you’re well-rested. The performance boost from pre-ride espresso or a caffeinated gel is meaningfully smaller when you’re already running on poor sleep. Which means every time I’ve reached for caffeine to compensate for five hours of sleep, I’ve been getting less benefit from it than I thought — and probably needed the sleep more than the caffeine. Worth keeping in mind before the next early-morning ride where you’re tempted to just load up on coffee.