words Alexa Wang
Many people start their day with caffeine and do not feel like they can function until they’ve had a coffee or perhaps a tea.
Caffeine certainly can be helpful for a pick me up and can even be good for your health, but it is important to understand that too much caffeine can also be damaging and people need to be aware of the science behind caffeine and what it does to your body.
Benefits
Caffeine can provide a temporary mental and physical health boost which is why people often crave it in the morning, plus this can also be helpful for improving performance and even sports recovery by making and restocking glycogen. On top of this, it is also thought that caffeine can protect the body against some diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s although more research is needed.
Potential Dangers
Caffeine certainly can have its uses and it is fine to drink it in moderation, but people need to be careful not to drink too much as this can negatively affect your health in a few different ways. It is said that 4 or 5 cups a day should be fine for most people, so you should not be consuming more than this. Consuming too much caffeine can make people feel jittery and anxious, it can elevate your heart rate and even lead to palpitations and raised blood pressure. In addition to this, caffeine can also be addictive and when people do not get their fix it can lead to headaches and irritability.
Impact on Sleep
Another important aspect to confer is the impact that caffeine can have on sleep which, in turn, can impact your physical and mental health. Consuming too much caffeine can make it difficult for people to get to and stay asleep, which will then affect their overall wellbeing and how they feel each day. This is why many people avoid caffeine in the afternoons (it can stay in your system for 6 hours) – keep in mind that it is not just coffee and tea as it can also be found in chocolate, energy drinks etc.
Improving Sleep
Many people have been struggling with either getting to sleep or having disturbed nights during the pandemic and too much caffeine could be one reason for this. Poster printing specialists instantprint carried out a survey of 1,000 UK workers that had switched to WFH during the pandemic with as many as 75% stating that they had workplace-related nightmares. Limiting caffeine intake (especially in the afternoon) and finding ways to relax before bed, such as meditation, could be helpful in this situation.
Caffeine can certainly be useful, and it is easy to see why it is such an important part of people’s routines, but people must also be careful and aware of the risks of drinking too much.
