Health & Wellness

Caffeine Half Life Calculator

Find out how much caffeine is still active in your system right now — and exactly when it will drop low enough for quality sleep.

Caffeine Half Life Calculator

Caffeine remaining & sleep-safe time

mg caffeine right now

Based on the standard caffeine half-life formula: C(t) = C₀ × 0.5^(t/t½). The sleep-safe threshold is 25 mg or less — the point at which most people can fall asleep without caffeine interference.

Caffeine Content of Common Drinks

Drink / SourceCaffeine (mg)
Espresso (30 ml shot)60–80 mg
Filter / drip coffee (240 ml)80–120 mg
Americano (double shot)120–150 mg
Energy drink (250 ml)75–80 mg
Pre-workout serving150–350 mg
Black tea (240 ml)30–50 mg
Green tea (240 ml)20–40 mg
Cola (355 ml)30–50 mg

Why the Half-Life Varies

The standard 5-hour half-life applies to healthy non-smoking adults. Several factors change this: genetics (CYP1A2 enzyme variants can make you a fast or slow metabolizer), liver health, pregnancy (extends to 15h+), smoking (shortens to ~3h), and some medications.

What Level Is Safe for Sleep?

Research suggests caffeine levels below 25 mg have minimal impact on sleep onset and quality for most adults. That's roughly 6–10 hours after a typical 200 mg dose depending on your metabolism.

Frequently Asked Questions

Caffeine's average half-life is 5 hours in healthy adults, meaning half the caffeine is eliminated every 5 hours. It varies from ~1.5 hours to 9.5 hours depending on genetics and other factors.
A standard 240 ml (8 oz) filter coffee has 80–120 mg. An espresso shot has ~60–80 mg. Pre-workouts range from 150–350 mg per serving. Energy drinks (250 ml) typically have ~80 mg.
Most people should stop caffeine 6–8 hours before bed. If you had a high dose (300+ mg) or metabolize slowly, 10–12 hours allows levels to drop below the 25 mg sleep-safe threshold.
Yes. Caffeine reduces slow-wave (deep) sleep even when you can fall asleep normally. This means poor recovery, reduced growth hormone release, and lower sleep quality — even if total sleep time seems fine.