I love coffee. And in the same way, I love caffeine! Like most developers, for a long time caffeine formed a staple part of my diet.
And why wouldn’t it? It tastes like liquid goal and has so many benefits like better awareness and even the decreased chances of developing diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
But there is a much darker side to consuming caffeine. I wouldn't say I’m against it, but the overconsumption of it that has become sort of normalized for professionals today. Below I will explains some of the 3 dangers of caffeine and some tips to consume it ‘safely’.
The 3 dangers of caffeine
It’s a stimulant
Caffeine, is a psychoactive drug. This means that it’s a substance that changes the way your brain reacts. In this case, it acts as a stimulant.
The danger here is that with all stimulants, your brain can develop a tolerance to it. This results in you needing more and more caffeine to feel that same buzz that you once felt before.
It’s not uncommon for us to start of feeling a crazy buzz after one double shot of espresso. But sooner than later, you require more and more caffeine to just end up feeling normal again.
This could also be the reason why our energy levels are so up and down when we rise and crash from caffeine.
It tricks your brain to stay awake
Our brains produce melatonin. This is the neuro transmitter that makes us feel sleepy and is responsible for our quality of sleep.
Here’s the problem: caffeine works by essentially blocking your melatonin receptors to trick your brain into staying in a state of being awake.
This could become a problem, mainly because sleep is extremely important for our body. Having high quality and consistent sleep helps our bodies recover and function at a high level more consistently.
Caffeine, especially when consumed closed to your bedtime, can inhibit your sleep and make you feel worse off and more reliant on caffeine the next day.
Cortisol!!
One of the other effects caffeine has is that it can raise your cortisol, which is the stress hormone responsible for the fight or flight instinct in our bodies.
This is why caffeine increases your mental alertness and physical performance.
The problem comes with normal people like you and me, who already spend our time in idle and high stress environments. Raising your cortisol can actually result in your becoming angered, overwhelmed and stressed fairly quickly.
Consume caffeine right
So how can we reap the benefits of caffeine without having to fall victim to the risks? Well here’s a few tips to consume your espresso while getting the most out of it and safely.
- For a start, quit for a while to see how you feel. This part will suck in the few days as you’ll suffer from sluggishness and headaches, but after that you will benefit from better sleep and more consistent energy levels. Then slowly start to add in caffeine back into your diet.
- The recommended caffeine intake amounts to 400mg daily, but I think around 250-300mg might be a safer amount. There’s nothing wrong with taking in less caffeine.
- Never consume caffeine less than 6 hours before you are scheduled to sleep as this can interfere in your quality of sleep.
- Try not to consume caffeine every day. Take frequent breaks to ensure that your body doesn't develop a strong tolerance towards caffeine.
While consuming caffeine has it’s upsides, we should be aware what the dangers of overconsumption can lead to and how to sidestep them to live a healthier and more productive life.
Would be keen to hear what your thoughts on caffeine are!
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