Caffeine and stress -Why your coffee drinking habit may be causing stress without you realising it
Caffeine and stress has the same relationship as Stress and smoking.
Like nicotine, caffeine stimulates the endocrine system, mimicking the biochemical effects of stress, such as increased blood pressure and pulse, and secretion of adrenalin. Caffeine are powerful amphetamine-like substances that increases metabolism. Like nicotine, caffeine is a stimulant, which can cause insomnia. It also acts as a diuretic, which causes loss of B vitamins and vitamin C, both important for stress resilience. Scientific studies on Caffeine and StressA study about Caffeine and stress by researchers at Duke University Medical Center shows that caffeine taken in the morning has effects on the body that persist until bedtime and amplifies stress consistently throughout the day.The reasearchers concluded: "Our findings indicate that eliminating coffee and other caffeinated beverages from the diet could be a helpful way to decrease blood pressure and other stress reactions," said Lane. "I think that people who feel 'stressed out' should at least consider quitting caffeine to see if they feel better. Quitting caffeine could be particularly beneficial for people suffering from high blood pressure, just as diet and exercise can help keep blood pressure under control." The researchers said that despite the perceived safety of overwhelmingly popular caffeinated beverages such as coffee, the drug does show short-term negative health effects that, if continued over a period of years, could increase risk of heart attack and stroke. The parting shot: "While today's cup of coffee might not, by itself, cause you much harm, the cumulative effects of drinking it day after day over a lifetime could really be unhealthy". Ways to quit caffeine or coffee drinkingIf you would like to quit coffee drinking for health reasons, please do not do stop completely at once. Caffeine is addictive and quitting cold turkey would lead to withdrawal symptoms such as headache, restlessness, and irritability.Cut down on caffeine slowly. Decrease your consumption gradually over a period of days or weeks, depending on your level of addiction. You may want to consider substituting Coffee with a healthy herbal based beverage. I would recommend you check out Teeccino, an aromatic and robust flavoured herbal alternative that tastes like Coffee. Checkout the available flavors:
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