Caffeinated Surge

See how the caffeine you ingest throughout the week affects your body

The end of the semester can be terrifying with finals creeping up. All you can see are sleepless nights filled with stress and caffeine. Sleep is the most important substance you should be using during this time. Sleep helps you retain the information you learned in the previous hours and reduces fatigue. However, when sleep is unavailable caffeine can be your next best choice. 

Caffeine helps to reduce fatigue, boosts mood and helps memory retention. Consumed in moderation caffeine can be very helpful, however, that’s not to say that it can’t be very harmful too. During this time of year, college students tend to up their intake of caffeine to dangerous levels. The average adult drinks nearly 3 to 4 cups of coffee, about 400 mg of caffeine, is a safe level to drink. Now when a student is feeling stressed and tired and keeps drinking cup after cup of coffee or energy drinks, they don’t realize that they could be putting their body at risk. Drinking too much caffeine could lead to insomnia and heart irregularities. Knowing when to drink caffeine and when to stop will help you get the most benefits out of caffeine. Having a cup of coffee every 4 to 5 hours is a healthy way to consume caffeine, by spacing out the drinks it allows your body to process the previous cup and be ready for another.

Here’s how caffeine works in your body to help you get through the day. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It works by binding to receivers in the brain that are normally paired with the drowsy chemical adenosine. Caffeine and adenosine have a very similar build molecularly, so caffeine is able to fill the spots where adenosine would normally be. However, after days or months of drinking caffeine, your body starts reacting in a way to help adenosine bind to the receptors. The brain begins to produce more receptors for adenosine, in order to have the same effect as you used with caffeine, you must consume even more to fill all the receptors that are made.

Finals season is stressful for sure, but always make sure you’re looking after your body first and foremost. Take a break every once and a while and relax, and remember that caffeine is a tool and should not be misused.

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