Caffeine Makes You Tired

Wait, what? That makes no sense. Actually it does! It turns out that if you always feel tired, eliminating caffeine from your diet can significantly improve your energy levels. There is actually a medical condition called "caffeinism", characterized by symptoms of depression, nervousness, irritability, recurrent headaches, heart palpitations and insomnia. It can occur in people that ingest as little as 250 mg of caffeine per day (about the amount in 2 cups of coffee), but the amount can be higher or lower depending on the individual.

This means that for many people, drinking caffeine provides a short-term temporary zip with ugly long term consequences. Habitual caffeine intake stresses the adrenal system and can induce a situation of chronic fatigue. While it may seem insane to eliminate caffeine from your diet if you always feel exhausted, it has been shown to dramatically improve and stabilize energy levels.

There is a popular study involving mice that is always cited when this topic comes up: Mice were given a dose of caffeine and it improved their swimming capacity. After six weeks of receiving this same dose of caffeine, however, their swimming capacity was actually reduced. In other words, the long-term effects of caffeine are actually counterproductive to the reasons people drink it in the first place.

If you’re skeptical, just try it! See what happens. Make sure you gradually reduce your caffeine intake otherwise you will have a serious headache and a Frankenstein-like demeanor. After a few days or maybe a week, you should really start feeling good!

I just want to point out that caffeine isn’t ALL bad, it’s just bad for people who are always tired, who have high blood pressure, who may have depression or anxiety, or who get wicked PMS*.

Good things about caffeine (if ingested only on occasion):

• Really helps alleviate a migraine headache or hangover
• Comes in extremely tasty beverages
• Mildly stimulates the metabolism
• Helps flush out excess water if you’re bloated (which can also lead to dehydration, so be careful)

*Trust me on this one.