Though the FDA recommends consuming not more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day—about 4 to 5 eight-ounce cups of espresso (which is quite a bit)—the brink for caffeine tolerance can vastly range from individual to individual. So, how can we actually inform what’s the utmost quantity of espresso we needs to be consuming primarily based on our particular person wants?
In line with Caroline Cederquist, MD, a board-certified doctor and founder and chief medical officer of BistroMD, it begins with listening to your physique. We caught up with Dr. Cederquist to identify the indicators that your physique is telling you that you just’ve had an excessive amount of caffeine and the way caffeine overload can have an effect on the quality of your sleep.
How your physique is telling you that you just’re consuming an excessive amount of espresso
For starters, Dr. Cederquist explains that the definition of “an excessive amount of” espresso can drastically range primarily based on the person attributable to caffeine sensitivities and intolerances. “One particular person would possibly comfortably drink a couple of cups, whereas one other would possibly expertise negative effects after a single cup,” Dr. Cederquist says.
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Nevertheless, there are clear indicators that your physique has had an excessive amount of caffeine. This contains signs like: feeling jittery, irritable, nauseous, stressed, and anxious. “Complications, a quick heartbeat, and frequent urination are additionally telling indicators you’re consuming an excessive amount of espresso,” Dr. Cederquist says. With a purpose to stave away these uncomfortable negative effects, Dr. Cederquist recommends sticking to the FDA tips or consulting together with your physician to find out what’s greatest for you, in addition to judging your tolerance primarily based on how your physique reacts to caffeine.
“Complications, a quick heartbeat, and frequent urination are additionally telling indicators you’re consuming an excessive amount of espresso,” Dr. Cederquist says.
It’s additionally value noting that caffeine can work together with sure medicines or preexisting well being situations. “There’s a variety of medicines that may work together with caffeine, like antiseizure, anticoagulant, and antidepressant medicines, simply to call a couple of. For those who’re taking any kind of treatment, it’s important you evaluation potential interactions together with your physician and/or pharmacist,” Dr. Cederquist says.
Nevertheless, if you happen to’re extremely caffeine-sensitive, Dr. Cederquist suggests discovering methods to chop again on consumption to keep away from overloading within the first place is one of the best factor to do. “For those who’re an avid espresso drinker, this may really feel daunting, however you possibly can take actionable steps to take action extra effortlessly. Step one is slicing again on caffeine slowly and regularly, which might be going from 5 cups of espresso per day all the way down to 4 cups for every week till you’ve reached your private aim,” she says.
However if you happen to get pleasure from sipping on one thing whilst you work through the day or just love the style of espresso, decaf generally is a nice different resolution. “You possibly can additionally swap out a caffeinated cup of espresso for decaf. That means, you possibly can nonetheless benefit from the heat and taste of espresso, simply with out all the surplus caffeine,” Dr. Cederquist says.
How consuming an excessive amount of espresso impacts your sleep
Though we hate to listen to it, espresso can positively influence our skill to get restful sleep. “Caffeine is a stimulant and blocks adenosine, which is a naturally occurring chemical within the physique that helps the physique chill out and promotes sleep,” Dr. Cederquist says. Though lowering sleepiness, rising focus, and boosting power could also be causes of us drink espresso within the first place, Dr. Cederquist confirms that it will possibly influence sleep, particularly if consumed too near bedtime.
“Caffeine has a few five-hour half-life, that means if you happen to drink a cup of espresso within the early night, you’ll nonetheless have half of the caffeine in your system as soon as it’s time for mattress,” Dr. Cederquist says.
“Caffeine has a few five-hour half-life, that means if you happen to drink a cup of espresso within the early night, you’ll nonetheless have half of the caffeine in your system as soon as it’s time for mattress,” Dr. Cederquist says. To make sure you can have your espresso and get a very good evening’s relaxation, too, she recommends sticking to a caffeine consumption schedule that received’t intervene together with your nighttime routine. “To get pleasure from your espresso whereas nonetheless getting a restful evening’s sleep, it’s vital to attempt to persist with espresso through the morning and really early afternoon hours whereas monitoring how a lot you eat.”
A registered dietitian shares among the advantages of consuming espresso:
