If you’re anything like us, you’re the kind of person who always has a coffee in their hand… Whether you are reaching for an iced Americano or nursing a latte with lunch, there are many instances where we can opt for a coffee as our chosen drink.
However, this is not always the best choice that we could make… Believe it or not…
Worried that you might be drinking a bit too much coffee? Here are some of the signs that you should cut down.
Sleep Debt
You need to make sure that you are aware of what your sleep debt might be, as coffee might be a driving factor here.
What is sleep debt…?
This guide to sleep debt can help to explain it, but it is basically the amount of sleep that you should have got but didn’t. This will obviously leave you feeling drained and tired, meaning that you might have reached for a coffee to be able to keep going throughout the day.
Anyone who drinks coffee or other caffeinated drinks needs to make sure that they are not doing so too late at night. All that will happen is that they are going to end up not being able to get to sleep, and this will only add to their sleep debt.
This can be a vicious cycle, and you need to make sure that you can break it. You will be drinking less coffee to stay awake because you are able to get more sleep since you are drinking less coffee. It will be tough to do, but you will feel so much better afterwards.
Caffeine Withdrawal
If you are drinking a lot of coffee, you need to watch that you aren’t accidentally developing a caffeine addiction. As you drink coffee and other caffeinated drinks, you will find that you need to have more to be able to sustain the energy boost that you get from them. This can be a sign that you are beginning to develop a dependency on such drinks, and it should be an indicator that you should actually cut down.
Caffeine withdrawal is not fun. If you decide to quit cold turkey then you are in for a rough ride. Withdrawal symptoms typically begin within 12 to 24 hours of you quitting, and they can come on fast. The first symptom is often a headache, as caffeine constricts the blood vessels in your brain. You get a headache because these narrowed blood vessels open up suddenly, something that can be quite painful. You will also often feel drowsy and fatigued, and you might find yourself a little more anxious and snappy than you would normally be. Just as you might also get tremors from drinking too much coffee, so might you also get them when you stop drinking it.
Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can last between two and nine days, so it is important that you try to cut back gradually and treat your body well in the meantime. You will then be able to approach drinking this substance in a much more controlled manner.
Cost
Are you making all of your coffee at home or are you relying on coffeeshops and baristas to get your fix? If it is the latter, you might be spending more than you might imagine on coffee. Though you might be able to order many different styles of coffee in your local coffeeshop, this is not going to be a cheap option. Even using loyalty schemes to grab free drinks every now and then might not be enough to compensate for your spend. If you are heading into a coffeeshop for a pick-me-up at least three times a day, that could be over £10 you are spending just on coffee alone. This could be a massive drain on your expenses, and something you should consider cutting back.
Even if you make your coffee at home, you could still be spending more than you think. The pods needed for modern coffee machines aren’t always very cheap. Keep an eye on how much you are spending on your home coffee station, just in case it is a little more than you first envisioned.
Hydration
Something you need to be aware of when you are drinking coffee is how hydrated you are. Many people make the mistake of thinking that they are drinking enough because they are having plenty of other liquids such as coffee and soft drinks. They are liquids, so they should be fine, right?
Wrong! There is no substitute for water in our lives. You might think that you are drinking enough because you have a lot of coffee, but it truly does not compare to the boost that you will get from drinking enough water. Though it might not pack the same punch as a cup of coffee, drinking the right amount of water will help you to feel more energised and clear-headed. That water allocation each day isn’t for all drinks; it is purely for just water. Instead, you should try to make sure that you drink the recommended amount of water each day and anything above that is a bonus.
Cut Down on Your Coffee Intake
Unless you are having just the odd cup here and there, there is a real chance that you might be drinking more coffee than you should. This can have a massive impact on multiple parts of your life. It is really easy to trigger the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal, and it can have a major influence on your mood and ability to sleep.
You need to make sure that you are properly handling your caffeine intake, no matter what that might look like. If necessary, you can take the steps needed to cut back and have a little less coffee, and your days might be a little easier to manage. Take a look at your current caffeine intake and try to make changes where you can to maybe have a little less each day.
