Caffeine is a stimulant, meaning it speeds up the action of
the brain and makes one alert. It does this by binding to adenosine receptors
in the brain. Because the caffeine is blocking the adenosine receptors, the
neurons become more active than they otherwise would be. That is why it seems
good for the brain. Then the pituitary gland responds to all the activity as
though it were an emergency, by releasing adrenaline. This release of
adrenaline causes:-
·
A faster heart rate.
·
An opening up of breathing tubes.
·
A release of sugar into the bloodstream from the
liver.
·
A tightening of muscles for action.
·
An increase in blood flow to muscles.
All these make one ready for action, but not necessarily
intellectual action. In fact, after the second cup of caffeine, you may become
anxious and irritable, which is obviously not conducive for clear thinking.
Another problem with caffeine is that it interferes with
proper sleep. It is estimated that the half-life of caffeine in the body is six
hours. So if you have a large cup of coffee with 150 mg of caffeine by 4 pm, by
10pm, you still have about 75 mg of caffeine in your system. This may not keep
you awake, but it deprives you of the much needed ‘deep’ sleep. As a result, you
wake up tired the next day, you reach for more coffee to stay alert, starting a
downward spiral of addiction. Start the cycle, and you find it hard to stop.
Therefore, if you must use caffeine, limit it to one cup. Or
rather, you may switch to teas as they have half caffeine content of coffee.
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