Walking down the streets of Boston, I’ve notice more often than not every business man, busy mother and college student holding a cup of coffee in their hand. Caffeine is one of the most used drug in America, but is it really considered a drug? Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, that's why you get that jittery feeling after consuming it. Although it is never thought of as a drug, caffeine can become addictive when consuming multiple cups of coffee each day. Although this may be looked at as a negative thing, there are many positive aspects to it.
Studies say adults can consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, which equals about four cup of coffee. Most americans drink coffee to keep them awake and alert throughout the day. Too much of it however, can affect your health, such as causing rapid heart beating and upset stomach. Also, adding creamers, sugar and flavoring syrups can be extremely unhealthy. People can be unaware of the amount of sugar and fat contained in these products.
More importantly, caffeine can affect your sleeping patterns. Drinking coffee to wake you up and get through the long and busy morning is a valid reasoning. However, it is important not to drink coffee right before bed. Without the proper amount of shut eye, your body will obviously be fatigued, inevitably needing more coffee to wake you up the next morning. Although we need our sleep, we all have drank coffee in hopes to help us through those long hours of homework or cramming for that test the next day. Coffee is a great alternative to those sugar enriched energy drinks us college students depend on so much.
Once your body gets into the routine of drinking coffee every morning, it become dependent on it. Many coffee lovers get headaches when they haven't had their fix for the day. Just like a drug, your body becomes addicted to the caffeine and needs it to get through the day. Your body gets so used to drinking it, you’re exhausted when you don't have it. A person regularly drinking two or more cups a day obviously is more affected than a person only drinking coffee every once in awhile.
As a caffeine enthusiast myself, I’m not persuading people to stop drinking caffeine, but rather making people aware of the potential pros and cons that come with it. When I was younger I would drink coffee to feel older but I always hated the taste. Being a new college student, I have definitely learned to appreciate the taste and positive effects of coffee. It gets me through the morning, and although it effects my sleeping, it also gets me through those long study sessions and 10 page essays.
