Monday, July 12, 2010

Hey, Caffeine Junkies!

We all know by now that caffeine is technically a mind-altering drug, right? But it’s so easy to build an immunity, and the effects seem to mild that nobody really thinks of it that way.

Well, as with alcohol, there is apparently a limit – beyond which it really does begin to impair your mental functions.

If you’re consuming 250mg or more per day, it’s enough to mess with your sleep. It might not keep you awake at bedtime, but it might be preventing you from deeper sleep states, which means you’re waking up more during the night. For me, those are the nights when it seems like I’m always looking at the clock and rolling over and drifting off again. And again.

At 350mg, though, the brain actually is less able to focus on a specific task for a sustained period of time. How many students take on late-night study sessions, fueled with coffee or energy drinks? I know I did! It hasn’t killed anyone yet, but then studying is a lot different from brain surgery or rocket science – and those people are just as likely to be “under the influence.”

Kinda scary, huh? That much caffeine also makes it harder to manage stress, as if the lack of concentration wasn’t putting enough pressure on us!

FWIW, the average cup of coffee has 100mg of caffeine per 8 ounces. The average cola has 45mg. Starbucks “De-Caff” coffee has20mg per 12 ounces, and their 12-ounce Frappuccino ® has 90mg! Every Excedrin has 65mg, while No-Doz has 200mg.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a job to do, and I need to concentrate when I do it. I’m not about to quit, but maybe it’s time to cut down.

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