Caffeine is a natural physical & mental stimulant that can boost alertness, attention, and even performance before exercising. Caffeine can be found naturally in a variety of food and drinks such as chocolate, cola and energy drinks, as well as the usual tea/coffee. Although small amounts of caffeine are totally safe, it is advised to keep mindful of your intake – which is what we will cover in this blog post.
It’s generally not recommended to drink more than 400-500mg of caffeine per day* (about 4-5 cups of instant coffee/tea).
We all have different caffeine tolerances, which are mostly determined by our genetics. There is some evidence that too much caffeine may negatively impact our mood, causing irritation, as well as stomach distress & restlessness.
Another issue is that the more caffeine you consume, the more your body becomes used to it, which is why its effects may wear off over time. So, if you’re thinking about reducing your coffee intake, don’t go cold turkey! Some withdrawal symptoms may occur, such as headaches, weariness, and irritability.
Instead, consider some of these 👇🏻 tips!
☕️ Only have caffeine when you really need it! A cup of coffee in the morning is easy to becomes a habit (which isn’t always a bad thing!). However, if we ask ourselves if we actually need caffeine, we may break the habit if we’d like to. Try decaf if you want the taste but don’t need the caffeine.
🏃♀️ Instead of your coffee first thing in the morning, try to go for a brisk walk or do a quick 10-minute workout before work. Exercise is a great way to get a boost in the morning. For the optimal morning drink have your caffeine around 60-90 minutes after waking.
🍵 Replace one of your cups of tea/coffee with decaf or herbal tea (green tea also contains some caffeine!).
🫖 Try to avoid coffee late in the afternoon. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 8-10 hours (depending on the individual) & thus interfere with sleep quality. I personally try to avoid caffeine after 3pm.
🛌 Make sure you get enough SLEEP. We should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep every night, which should be enough to keep us running without having excess caffeine to keep us alert.
🤰🏻 *If you’re TTC or pregnant, limit yourself to 200mg of coffee, which is about 2 cups of instant tea or coffee.
I really hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post all about caffeine and my top tips on how to drink less of it!
Thank you to Simba for sharing the best & worst drinks to have before bed, if you want to read more!
