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Astral Codex Ten ·For the curious

The Quest for Caffeine You Can Have at Night

by Scott Alexander

Published 2026-08-13 04:09:15+00:00

What does it actually take to separate an evening cup of coffee from a sleepless night?

0:00 / 24:02 · Narrator Charon

Context

Millions of coffee drinkers share the same quiet wish: to enjoy a cup at five in the afternoon and still fall asleep by ten. Writing on 13 August 2026, Astral Codex Ten tracks the strange scientific subculture trying to make this a reality. Rather than settling for decaf, a niche market of biohackers and supplement companies is attempting to manipulate the liver enzymes that process stimulants. The result is a surprisingly complicated biological puzzle about what it actually takes to cheat the half-life of caffeine.

Show notes

An evaluation of three methods for shortening the half-life of caffeine to allow for evening consumption without disrupting sleep. Reviews the safety and mechanics of speeding up liver enzymes with a plant extract, taking the caffeine byproduct paraxanthine directly, or using a short-acting caffeine substitute. Weighs user reports and side effects to determine the most practical protocol.

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