Coffee is a popular drink for pulling an all-nighter cram session before finals. But how exactly does it keep us energized? What are the effects coffee has on your mental and physical state over time? Read to find out more!
Coffee is suitable for people with all different tastes, ranging from bitter to sweet, making it an extremely popular drink. Although it is customizable to our personal preferences, the caffeine within all coffee is what keeps us alert and energized throughout the day.
So, how does this drink fight off our tiredness? Adenosine is a natural chemical in our brains, which when produced throughout the day, causes us to feel tired. Coffee contains caffeine, molecules that have a similar shape compared to adenosine molecules, allowing them to bond to our brain receptors in place of the natural chemical. This blocks the adenosine from reaching our brain receptors, blocking the feeling of sleepiness in our brain. Coffee also stimulates our central nervous system, heart, and muscles, keeping us physically energized.
However, drinking coffee regularly reduces its effect on our brains. When we continuously use a substance that affects us neurologically, we develop a tolerance toward that material, making it less effective as we continue to use it in the future. Over time, the brain will adapt to the amount of caffeine we consume, and in turn, create more brain receptors for adenosine molecules. Thus, we feel inclined to increase our caffeine consumption in order to fill up the greater abundance of receptors to reach the same level of alertness, which can become unhealthy and cause addiction.
The moderate amount of coffee intake for a healthy adult is 3-5 cups per day. Drinking too much can cause sleeping problems, restlessness and anxiety, nausea, overstimulation of the heart and nervous system, and increase your body's total cholesterol. In addition, as our bodies get used to consuming coffee regularly, if we suddenly stop drinking it, it may lead to unwanted withdrawal effects as we have become extremely dependent on it for our productive behavior. These effects include headaches, fatigue, anxiety, concentration problems, mood swings, irritability and aggression, tremors, and overall low energy.
Therefore, coffee is not only delicious, but is also a great resource for helping us stay productive and awake when we need to be! However, keep in mind that it is important to consume a healthy amount, and keep yourself in check based on your health condition. Cheers!
Written by: Janice Le
“Coffee: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning.”WebMD, [circa 2018], www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-980/coffee.
“How Does Coffee Wake You Up?”Royal Cup Coffee, 30 Nov. 2015, www.royalcupcoffee.com/blog/articles/how-does-coffee-wake-you.
Kubala, Jillian M. “8 Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal.”Healthline, 2 Mar. 1981, www.healthline.com/nutrition/caffeine-withdrawal-symptoms.
Hi! Caffeine has been proven to be a diuretic, which is a substance that increases frequency of urination. Therefore, your body ends up losing more water due to this characteristic of coffee. Here is a source that can give you more information: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-coffee-dehydrate-you#caffeine-and-hydration Hope this answers your question!
Hey! I loved your article. Could you explain the science behind why being dehydrated while drinking coffee can make you tired?