How to Manage a Coffee Addiction Before It Starts
By Caroline Patafio
Do you rely on caffeine for a quick pick-me-up in the morning or even for some energy at night when having a late study session in the library? Although caffeine may be super effective at providing this energy boost, too much of it can be unhealthy. The recommended amount of caffeine consumption per day for a healthy adult is 400mg of caffeine. These 400 mg may look different for everyone. For some it may be consumed through coffee or maybe from an energy drink such as a Redbull, a soda like Coca-Cola, or black tea. Caffeine can also be found in food such as in energy bars or even chocolate. The best way to find the amount of caffeine in the items you are consuming is to look at the nutrition label. I normally do not keep track of the specific amount of mg of caffeine I consume, and instead I tend to go off the number of cups of coffee that I have per day. Typically, 400 mg of caffeine looks like four to five cups of coffee. Oftentimes this may be too much for certain people, so some common side effects of having too much caffeine that you can look out for are “jitters,” headaches, irritability, increased anxiety, and even disrupted sleep.
During college especially, I noticed that I have started to drink coffee more regularly, to the point where if I do not have at least one cup in the morning, then I can get a massive migraine. It was at this point that I realized I needed to wean myself off coffee because my mood and sleep were being affected. To stop myself from drinking multiple cups of coffee a day, I began to alternate the types of drinks I consume. For instance, if I got a coffee in the morning, I would have some black tea in the afternoon. I also stopped drinking coffee after 5:00 pm so that I was not as energetic at nighttime. Apart from finding less caffeinated drinks to substitute for coffee, I also recently discovered Verb Energy Bars. These bars have the caffeine equivalent to one shot of espresso. They come in an assortment of flavors that you can buy online and get delivered to Villanova. My current favorite is either the chocolate chip banana bread or peppermint mocha bar.
If you notice yourself feeling irritable or having a bit of a headache and you are an avid coffee drinker, that is a sign you may be having too much caffeine. This does not mean you have to cut out coffee entirely. There are so many health benefits to coffee, tea, and even dark chocolate. Keeping track of the amount of caffeine you consume is simply a way to prevent those headaches and drowsiness that are associated with having too much coffee. There are many alternatives to coffee if you really need an extra boost of caffeine in your day!
