LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – For all the good things associated with coffee (stimulates your metabolism, source of antioxidants, minimum calories), there are also disadvantages. 5 clear signs that you are drinking too much caffeine.
Everyone has their own caffeine limit. Some people are more used to it than others and as long as your body doesn’t start protesting, you probably think you can up the dose a bit.
But what are the first signs that you are drinking too much coffee?
1. Easily irritated
Your patience will run out faster than it will be replenished. You quickly become angry and suddenly swing much more freely with reproaches and swear words than usual. Those around you quickly notice that you’re not in your usual way, but you may prefer to stick it on a bad day.
Can’t live without your cups of coffee? Then it is probably more likely to be a caffeine addiction. Caffeine makes your breathing more shallow, which means less oxygen is transported to your brain. That shortage of oxygen affects your judgement and lowers your focus, which means that you are less able to think and put things into perspective. Which causes instant irritation.
2. Restlessness
Not only are you irritated, you are also constantly restless. You suffer from nerves (often for no reason) and you find it difficult to stay still. You walk in circles, rock your legs or you stand constantly instead of sitting comfortably at your desk. Focusing on one task suddenly turns out to be very demanding and your thoughts are often elsewhere. A multitasking, unproductive chaos ensues, causing even more stress. Another cup of coffee to get? Maybe switch to decaf.
3. Headache
Coffee is a stimulating drink. If you drink too much of it, your brain (or at least the receptors) will become unnaturally overstimulated, which often leads to headaches. The reverse is also true. If you already have a coffee addiction and you deprive yourself of some of the caffeine, so you don’t get the expected dose, your body reacts with a headache.
4. Dehydrated
Caffeine also has a diuretic effect, which puts you at risk of becoming dehydrated and causing headaches. Are you more thirsty than usual? Do you often have to go to the toilet? See that as an alarm signal.
5. Sleeplessness / Tiredness
Do you drink coffee to boost yourself? Then you might be in a vicious circle.
Coffee distorts your sleep patterns and usually does so in a negative way. You have trouble falling asleep, you toss and turn (restless!) all night, with the result that you are tired the next day. Lacking the natural energy that you generate during a good night’s sleep, you drink coffee to get yourself going. Something that you will have to pay for with restless sleeping behaviour the next night. You see where things go wrong, but how do you get out of that circle?
The body of a caffeine addict is programmed in such a way that it thinks it can only stay awake if it is given coffee. If you take the caffeine away when your body asks for it, it will see it as a signal not to stay awake. Which can lead to you suddenly feeling the urge to fall asleep at uncontrolled moments. Clumsy. So try to find a healthy balance.
