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 differ from individual to individual. So, how can we actually inform what’s the utmost quantity of espresso we needs to be consuming based mostly on our particular person wants?
In accordance 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 simply’ve had an excessive amount of caffeine and the way caffeine overload can have an effect on the high quality of your sleep.
How your physique is telling you that you simply’re consuming an excessive amount of espresso
For starters, Dr. Cederquist explains that the definition of “an excessive amount of” espresso can drastically differ based mostly on the person because of caffeine sensitivities and intolerances. “One particular person would possibly comfortably drink a couple of cups, whereas one other would possibly expertise uncomfortable side effects after a single cup,” Dr. Cederquist says.
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Nonetheless, 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. As a way to stave away these uncomfortable uncomfortable side effects, Dr. Cederquist recommends sticking to the FDA tips or consulting together with your physician to find out what’s finest for you, in addition to judging your tolerance based mostly 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 drugs or preexisting well being circumstances. “There’s a variety of medicines that may work together with caffeine, like antiseizure, anticoagulant, and antidepressant drugs, simply to call a couple of. Should you’re taking any form of medicine, it’s important you assessment potential interactions together with your physician and/or pharmacist,” Dr. Cederquist says.
Nonetheless, should you’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. “Should you’re an avid espresso drinker, this could really feel daunting, however you may take actionable steps to take action extra effortlessly. Step one is slicing again on caffeine slowly and progressively, which could possibly be going from 5 cups of espresso per day all the way down to 4 cups for per week till you’ve reached your private objective,” she says.
However should you take pleasure in sipping on one thing whilst you work in the course of the day or just love the style of espresso, decaf is usually a nice various resolution. “You possibly can additionally swap out a caffeinated cup of espresso for decaf. That approach, you may 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 undoubtedly affect our means to get restful sleep. “Caffeine is a stimulant and blocks adenosine, which is a naturally occurring chemical within the physique that helps the physique loosen up and promotes sleep,” Dr. Cederquist says. Though lowering sleepiness, growing focus, and boosting power could also be causes people drink espresso within the first place, Dr. Cederquist confirms that it may affect sleep, particularly if consumed too near bedtime.
“Caffeine has a couple of five-hour half-life, that means should you 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 couple of five-hour half-life, that means should you 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 superb evening’s relaxation, too, she recommends sticking to a caffeine consumption schedule that gained’t intervene together with your nighttime routine. “To take pleasure in your espresso whereas nonetheless getting a restful evening’s sleep, it’s essential to attempt to stick with espresso in the course of the morning and really early afternoon hours whereas monitoring how a lot you devour.”
A registered dietitian shares among the advantages of consuming espresso:
