The Caffeine Consumption Conundrum

Caffeine is a double-edged sword.
Photo By Coffee Wallpapers

So many students swear by their coffee consumption to keep them moving during every week, especially in these first tumultuous weeks. Unfortunately, caffeine can have negative side effects ranging from a messed up sleep schedule to downright depression. What does this mean for college students who rely on the stuff?

    According to Europe PMC, life sciences journal archive, “Regular coffee and caffeine caused rapid eye movement (REM) sleep to shift to the early part of the night and stages 3 and 4 sleep to shift to the later part” in a study conducted by scientists on sleepers. “Coffee also produced dose-related changes in several subjects’ estimates of sleep characteristics. These results suggest that coffee and caffeine may be used in normal subjects to induce symptoms mimicking those of insomnia.”

    This does not bode well for students. Naturally, students with a solid sleep schedule (at the very least approximately 6 hours per night) tend to perform better than those with erratic or spotty sleep schedules. Caffeine fueled study sessions can lead to a loss of sleep.

    Don’t forget headaches. According to Neurology.org, daily caffeine consumption has been linked not only to recurring headaches but also to migraines. The National Headache Foundation does acknowledge that caffeine can alleviate headache symptoms. “Before a headache or migraine, blood vessels tend to enlarge. Because it contains “vasoconstrictive” properties that cause the blood vessels to narrow and restrict blood flow, caffeine can aid in head pain relief. When caffeine is added to the combination of acetaminophen and aspirin, the pain relieving effect is increased by 40%.” Because of this, caffeine withdrawal can sometimes create more pain for those with frequent headaches than not.

    With this reduced or poor sleep, heaps of coursework, extracurricular activities, and now headaches, how about more anxiety? According to Caffeine Informer, “Those that are daily caffeine consumers and who also suffer from anxiety should try to keep their daily consumption of caffeine fairly consistent. Consuming more caffeine than their usual amount could increase anxiety levels. This group should also be aware how much caffeine their favorite beverages contain and keep track of their daily consumption.” Though a lot of this research has been linked to genetics, excessive caffeine consumption can actually affect someone so badly it can trigger a legitimate panic attack in those drinking more than two caffeinated beverages a day.

    This is not to say coffee does not have beneficial properties. Several studies have been conducted and some indicate that coffee can aid in memory retention and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Coffee also contains antioxidants and nutrients that students might as well take in while meeting their daily coffee consumption intake.

    So what is the takeaway? Student life is not designed for human beings.