As crazy as life can be, it is easy and nice to have caffeine to help us stay awake just a little bit longer to get everything done. Drinking coffee is not something we need to be completely worried about, but we should be aware of how much we drink and when we drink this beverage. Especially when waking up and it being the first thing that hits your stomach, serving as a substitute for meals or sleep. 

It is normal that the first thing you do when you wake up is make your cup of coffee. Having caffeine hit your stomach first right in the morning has been shown to increase heartburn along with creating many gut issues. It also increases stress levels right when you wake up. Having buffers in your coffee such as milk or eating a little before that first sip of coffee can act as a buffer to prevent the production of stomach acid.  Eating food before or adding more milk to coffee in the morning can neutralize the stomach acid so you can enjoy your cup of coffee in the morning without all the bad side effects. As for the answer to the question: when to drink your morning cup of coffee?  It is still okay to drink coffee when you wake up, just make sure to eat a little something before. You should pay attention to how your body reacts to drinking coffee early in the morning and adjust how you drink coffee based on that.

It is also important to pay attention to how much coffee you consume. According to the FDA about 400 milligrams of caffeine is okay to consume in a day without having bad effects. Everyone is different and should pay attention to how their body reacts to caffeine and different amounts. Usually, adults drink caffeine, but for kids, it can be dangerous. Even though it is safe for adults, caffeine should be used with caution for adolescents and young adults. The best way to keep your caffeine consumption in control is to be aware of the caffeine you are consuming. This is not meant to scare you but will help you pay closer attention to your caffeine consumption and how it can impact you.  This can help you learn how to control caffeine intake and lower the bad effects it could have on you. 

Paying closer attention to how much caffeine you are consuming is important to know. You will be able to tell if you are falling into a more scary zone of consuming too much.  You can do this by looking at the label of the different energy drinks because the caffeine in drinks can be different. You can keep a mental note or a list on your phone to understand how much you put into your body. For coffee especially there are many decaffeinated options you can pursue to help control how much caffeine you drink. Decaf coffee will taste just as good as normal coffee.  Another time to pay attention to how much caffeine you are drinking is through the day. It has been shown that consuming caffeine in the afternoon can mess with your sleep. Using caffeine in this way will make you more tired, disturb your sleep cycle, and disrupt your circadian rhythms. 

Overall, caffeine can totally be part of your daily routine. However, it is important to be aware of when you are consuming it and how you react to it. You should pay close attention to the amount of caffeine you drink, so you do not go over the recommended daily amount.  Looking at other options such as decaf, paying attention to nutrition labels, and not drinking caffeine instead of sleeping be good ways to start if you are struggling. 

This blog was written for Healthy Young NV by a High Sierra AHEC Student Ambassador.