How long caffeine lasts, by dose
The bigger the dose, the longer the tail. Doubling the caffeine does not double the time it takes to clear, it adds one half-life: about 5.7 hours.
| Dose | After 6 hours | Clears in | Latest for 11 pm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 mg | 25 mg | 2 hours | 8:58 pm |
| 100 mg | 49 mg | 7 and a half hours | 3:16 pm |
| 150 mg | 74 mg | 11 hours | 11:56 am |
| 200 mg | 99 mg | 13 and a half hours | 9:34 am |
| 250 mg | 123 mg | 15 and a half hours | 7:44 am |
| 300 mg | 148 mg | 17 hours | 6:14 am |
| 400 mg | 198 mg | 19 hours | 3:52 am the night before |
| 500 mg | 247 mg | 21 hours | 2:02 am the night before |
| 600 mg | 296 mg | 22 and a half hours | 12:32 am the night before |
Pick a dose for the hour-by-hour numbers, the cutoff for your bedtime, and how the answer changes if you clear caffeine faster or slower than average. If you know the drink rather than the milligrams, start from the list of drinks.
to fall below 40 mg, about 0.5 mugs of filter coffee
to fall below 40 mg, about 1.0 mugs of filter coffee
to fall below 40 mg, about 1.6 mugs of filter coffee
to fall below 40 mg, about 2.1 mugs of filter coffee
to fall below 40 mg, about 2.6 mugs of filter coffee
to fall below 40 mg, about 3.1 mugs of filter coffee
to fall below 40 mg, about 4.2 mugs of filter coffee
to fall below 40 mg, about 5.2 mugs of filter coffee
to fall below 40 mg, about 6.2 mugs of filter coffee
