When it comes to waking up and getting ready for the day, many people rely on coffee to get them through the morning and into a working rhythm. Coffee is both a necessity and an art form, depending on who you ask. In light of coffee’s role in our busy schedules, we wanted to do some research into the big question: Do you NEED coffee? What is it really doing to our bodies?
Waking Up.
Many nurses can’t start the day without a cup of coffee, and this may be due to their cortisol levels. Our bodies naturally have a high level of cortisol in the morning, since this is the hormone responsible for waking and rising. When the body starts to develop a reliance or even addiction to caffeine, it can disrupt the natural distribution of cortisol in the rising, waking, and sleeping periods of daily life. As a result, drinking too much coffee can prevent the body from getting healthy sleep and waking patterns.
You Don’t Feel Tired, But You Look It.
Too much coffee can cause the visible signs of aging to appear more dramatic. Coffee can cause wrinkling and aging because it dehydrates the skin and elevates cortisol levels. A decrease in collagen and elastin production is also found with increased consumption of caffeine, leading to skin aging.
Caffeine Affects People Differently.
Different people, different reactions to coffee. The amount that is too much for one person can be too little for another. The effect of caffeine varies from one person to another, so there is no perfect amount of coffee for anyone or everyone. Drinking the amount that you consider adequate is recommended, just as long as you recognize what is too much for your health. As always, water should be consumed to balance out the other liquids to keep your body hydrated.
Coffee is one of the greatest stimulants around and has contributed to an undeniable increase productivity. There have been many studies performed over the years highlighting the benefits of drinking coffee. The key is to limit yourself accordingly. If you’ve ever questioned the amount you’re drinking, chances are you are drinking too much!
