Th ere’s no denying that caff eine can have a powerful eff ect on us in both physical and psychological ways. A morning cup of coff ee or strong tea can transform us from dreary and exhausted to energized and alert. Th at’s perhaps the most important reason coff ee is the world’s most popular beverage. However, becoming addicted to drinking coff ee and consuming caff eine in other ways can have its drawbacks. So, what problems arise with a caff eine addiction?
1. Quitting caff eine is tough Let’s get this out of the way: caff eine is a drug. Th at means it can be incredibly diffi cult to stop drinking coff ee and other caff eine-laced beverages. Don’t get your morning cup of coff ee and there’s a really good chance you’ll start the day feeling groggy, irritable, and anxious. You might even start to develop a painful headache. Th at means you should wean yourself off caff eine. Don’t go cold turkey. Instead, try limiting yourself to fewer cups of coff ee or tea until you reach an acceptable level.
2. Caff eine increases stress levels Many of us drink caff einated coff ee for one reason: it gives us a muchneeded boost, whether it’s eight in the morning, two in the afternoon, or the beginning of a long night on the town. But the buzz that comes with caff eine can also trigger feelings of stress and anxiety, causing us to unduly focus on our problems and make minor issues seem more signifi cant. If you fi nd yourself feeling overwhelmed, try cutting back your caff eine consumption.
3. Caff eine can accelerate aging Caff eine can wake us up and give us the boost we need to be more productive at work. But if you’ve developed a caff eine addiction, ask yourself this: is it worth aging prematurely? Research from Livestrong.com shows that caff eine can cause the production of important age-defying hormones (like melatonin and DHEA) to decline signifi cantly. Caff eine also dehydrates the body, meaning skin loses water, the result of which can be dry, sagging and wrinkled skin. Research has also shown that caff eine could lead to acne.
4. Caff eine can lead to bone loss Drinking that cup of caff einated coff ee may make you feel energized right now, but, in the long run, it could end up leaving you feel weak and in pain. Th at’s because caff eine causes the body to lose calcium, which can eventually result in the loss of nutrients that are important in maintaining strong bones. Th at’s why medical experts generally recommend people suff ering from bone and joint issues limit their caff eine consumption. Th is is particularly important for the elderly, and especially women suff ering from osteoporosis. 5. Caff eine causes mood swings Ideally, a cup of dark roast caff einated coff ee will make us feel energized, alert–even happy. But that’s not always the case. Caff eine has been linked to wild mood swings, with people going from happy and positivethinking to anxious, depressed, irritable, and stressed. Th is is because caff eine decreases blood fl ow to the brain, which can negatively aff ect memory and mental acuity. Mood swings generally occur after the stimulant eff ect of caff eine wears off –roughly two to four hours after it’s consumed
6. Caff eine can disrupt sleep Having trouble sleeping at night? You might want to take a close look at your caff eine consumption. Drinking tea, coff ee, or some other kind of caff einated beverage later in the day (around or after dinner time) can make it very diffi cult to get to sleep at night. In the end, it can become a vicious cycle. For instance, one drinks coff ee to get a boost, then has a lousy night’s sleep. Th en, in the morning and throughout the following day, they drink an excessive amount of caff einated coff ee or tea to stay awake. Inevitably, they struggle to sleep the following night.
7. Some people are sensitive to caff eine Generally speaking, most people get the same reaction from a cup of caff einated coff ee or tea in the morning: they get an energy boost for a few hours, allowing them to shrug off feelings of sleepiness and exhaustion. But not all people react the same.
In fact, some people are classifi ed as “hypersensitive” to caff eine, meaning they’re more likely to feel stressed or anxious when drinking caff einated beverages. Th ese people are also more likely to suff er high blood pressure, serious headaches, an irregular heartbeat, and acid refl ux when drinking caff einated drinks. 8. Caffi ene can pose dangers to pregnancy When a woman becomes pregnant, her physician will tell her to avoid certain foods and beverages: cheese, alcoholic drinks, undercooked meat.
But a pregnant woman should also strongly consider limiting or even eliminating their caff eine consumption. Th at’s because excessive caff eine consumption has been linked to serious fertility problems by WebMD. In fact, caff eine can reduce muscle activity in the fallopian tubes, increasing the chance of pregnancy complications. Pregnant women who drink caff einated beverages to excess may be at higher risk for miscarriage and low birth weight. -activebeat.com
