Stress. Work. Studying. As midterms approach and homework escalates, there seems only one solution.
Sip the coffee. Unfortunately, after people finish their first cup, they will often crave more. Soon one’s morning coffee may lead to an afternoon coffee and eventually a midnight coffee. For many, coffee addiction is a stark reality. If you always lack energy, reconsider drinking several cups of coffee and aim to moderate your intake of it.
Even though coffee can seem like a quick fix for fatigue, you may find yourself over-relying on it as a source of energy. Coffee, which contains the stimulant caffeine, can leave people suffering from withdrawal effects if they stop consuming it.
In one study by American University, 213 subjects were told to abstain from 16 hours of coffee consumption. The research found that daily coffee users suffered from increased fatigue, drowsiness, low alertness and mood disturbances in comparison to non-daily users. Although coffee may not affect the reward centers of the brain in such ways that cocaine or other addictive drugs do, the caffeine in coffee can still elicit maladaptive withdrawal effects. You may hope to get a surge of energy from consuming several cups of coffee, but you’re instead preparing for fatigue and mood disturbances.
Too much coffee can induce symptoms of anxiety. Harvard Medical School states caffeine as something which should be limited, as “it can precipitate or mimic symptoms of anxiety.” Unfortunately overconsumption of coffee will also decrease gamma-aminobutyric acid – a neurotransmitter linked to treating anxiety that hinders brain activity. A lack of GABA essentially overexcites your nervous system and will fail to treat anxiety. By drinking coffee, you can increase your anxiety.
That being said, moderate amounts of coffee is not without its benefits. Moderate coffee consumption can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Research involving more than 48,000 subjects found those who upped their coffee intake by one cup daily had an 11% lower risk of Type 2 diabetes in the next four years.
Coffee consumption may also link to reduced risk of heart problems. A 1570-participant study found a significantly inverse relationship between coffee consumption and coronary calcification. Coronary artery calcification, a buildup of calcium in the arteries, is common in victims of coronary heart disease. If drinking a few cups of coffee daily has a strongly inverse relationship with coronary artery calcification, it could lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
While abstaining from drinking coffee can be grueling, there are several ways to succeed at it. One should first write a list of why coffee addiction is harmful — a reminder as to why they embarked on coffee abstinence or reduction. Given the potential withdrawal effects, you should aim to wean off coffee rather than go cold turkey. g
The National Sleep Foundation urges people to start by their usual intake of coffee, but with 50% decaf for the first five days. The day after, you should drink 75% decaf and the following day, opt to only drink decaf. If you simply want to moderate your consumption, you can try this mixing decaf-caffeine approach without entirely eliminating caffeinated coffee. It is worth noting that decaf coffee can still contain up to seven milligrams of coffee. Sometimes the taste of coffee itself, despite the energy, can be enough to wean off of caffeine.
In order to avoid several negative health effects associated with caffeine addiction, you should strive to decrease your coffee consumption. There is therefore no need to entirely slash coffee out of your diet.
