'I halved my coffee intake and can't believe the impact it had on my anxiety'
I love coffee. For the past 10 or so years, I've only ever gone without my two steamy Americanos a day when I've had the flu and been too sick to even drink water, let alone brew a hot pot. But earlier this year, I've halved my coffee intake, and it's changed my relationship with caffeine.
Why get rid of something you love so much? Well, as someone with diagnosed anxiety disorder, I've long heard about the link between too much caffeine and heightened anxious episodes. I never felt that cause-and-effect in myself, seeing no correlation between the timing of my caffeine and my mental health spirals. But during a particularly anxious phase, all of my friends suggested cutting down on my coffee intake. Initially, I took what they were saying as an accusation of addiction. I rolled my eyes at, what I felt, was society's demonisation of yet another fun thing. But after much egging on, I stubbornly decided I'd take their advice - if only to prove them wrong.
Given coffee is one of the only science-backed sports supplements and, potential addiction aside, something I really love drinking for the flavour and ritual, I know I don't want to completely cut it out. So I decide to half my intake, going down to just one coffee a day. I didn't think I'd feel any different when cutting down my coffee, but what really happened?
What happens when you cut down on coffee?
I dive right into my reduced-caffeine challenge without any prep: I don't slowly reduce my intake, nor do I consider the best time to sink my coffee. Luckily, the first day feels like a half-cheat as I down it and then head out on a 16k run. When I get back, I'm so energised and alert from all of the exercise that I don't feel like I need any extra stimulants for the rest of the day.
The following day is a completely different story. I have a coffee before my 8AM reformer Pilates class, but without my second caffeine hit I find myself feeling absolutely knackered come midday. It's that sort of exhaustion that you feel to your bones, where it feels like I'm moving through treacle. The headache is also a problem - I have a dull drumming in my brain, but I mainly put that down to dehydration after my long run the day before and keep an eye on my water intake for the rest of the day.
The headache is still there the following morning, and the only thing that makes it a little better is my one and only cup of coffee. With the pounding on my skull being a sign of withdrawal, I begin to be honest with myself: maybe I was addicted to coffee.
That realisation concerns me. I think I'm someone who looks after their health; I try to moderate my booze, have never smoked and if someone ever threw the word addict at me, I'd assume they were talking about my sleep routine.
Thankfully, the fog finally breaks on the fifth day. I'm headache free and have the same sustained energy as if I'd still downed my second coffee. Most days, this awake sensation remains, though there are a couple of times I'd love to turn on my Nespresso machine for the second time that day.
Coffee and anxiety: what's the link?
But the real reason I ditched the caffeine was because of my anxiety, not alertness. And I have to confess: once the sluggish side effects wore off, I've felt way less anxious than usual. Noticeably so - my boyfriend even commented that I was almost instantly calmer. That's not to say the spiralling thoughts have gone completely, but I'm certainly finding them more manageable. Any many of the physical symptoms of anxiety, like a rushing heart, have also reduced.
'Coffee contains caffeine, a natural stimulant that affects the brain by blocking adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleep. By blocking these receptors, caffeine increases neuronal activity, leading to heightened alertness and the characteristic "jolt" coffee drinkers often experience. However, caffeine can also have a paradoxical effect on certain individuals, triggering anxiety instead of alertness,' explains neuroscientist and transformation coach, Eldin Hasa.
There are many reasons why some people's minds go for the spiral instead of the speed, including variations in brain chemistry and sensitivity to caffeine.
'The psychological link between coffee and anxiety lies in the way caffeine interacts with the brain's neurotransmitters. Caffeine stimulates the release of adrenaline, a hormone known for its role in the body's response to stress. Increased adrenaline levels can manifest as feelings of anxiety, restlessness, and even panic in susceptible individuals,' explains Hasa.
'At a neurological level, caffeine blocks the action of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is responsible for inhibiting brain activity and promoting a calm state of mind. By inhibiting the inhibitory actions of GABA, caffeine can disrupt this balance and potentially exacerbate feelings of anxiety. And on a biological level, coffee triggers the release of cortisol, often referred to as the body's primary stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels can lead to heightened anxiety in certain individuals. Additionally, caffeine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, further contributing to a state of physiological arousal associated with anxiety.'
So, clearly there are many levels upon which for my anxiety to build. And I hate to say it, but without the dual caffeine kick I feel so much better mentally that I've sustained my new routine for our four months.
But when I think about it, I'm still shocked - and gutted - to discover just how much caffeine was impacting my mental health. I'd never linked my anxiety with caffeine because I thought I was sensible with my intake: I stopped drinking it at 11AM to reduce disruptions with my sleep and I never had it on an empty stomach.
'For some individuals, the anxiety effect is immediate, with symptoms appearing shortly after consuming coffee. This rapid onset can be attributed to the direct action of caffeine on neurotransmitter activity, particularly the release of adrenaline and the inhibition of GABA, but in other cases, the anxiety effect may build up over time,' says Hasa. 'This can occur when individuals regularly consume high amounts of coffee, leading to sustained levels of caffeine in the body. Chronic caffeine consumption can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters and hormones involved in anxiety regulation, potentially contributing to a gradual increase in anxiety symptoms.'
Side effects of kicking a caffeine addiction
Foregoing a morning coffee certainly has other side effects - I've noticed my toilet trips are less, erm, regular, which may or may not be due to the bowel-stimulating impact of caffeine. And because I'm no longer relying on it for alertness, it's also made me better able to tune into my body's rhythms. I'm able to question why I'm more tired on one day than the next and had to pay better attention to my fibre intake to regulate-you-know what.
I'll long be keeping my one-a-day in my diet for personal sanity and health reasons though. 'Coffee has been widely studied for its effects on cognitive function. The caffeine present in coffee can enhance alertness, concentration, and focus, which can be particularly beneficial in demanding cognitive tasks,' explains Hasa.
'Coffee consumption has also been associated with improvements in mood, including increased feelings of well-being and reduced risk of depression. This can be attributed to caffeine's ability to stimulate the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which are involved in mood regulation. From a neurological perspective, coffee has been shown to have neuroprotective properties. The various compounds found in coffee, including polyphenols and antioxidants, have been linked to a reduced risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.'
Whether or not you find caffeine impacts your mental health, checking in with your relationship with coffee is always useful, as it taking preventative measures that look after your brain. 'Anxiety is a complex mental health condition that affects millions of individuals globally. While coffee consumption alone may not directly cause anxiety, research suggests that it can exacerbate symptoms in those who are already prone to anxiety or have underlying issues,' says Hasa. The annoying truth is that cutting down has helped m
y anxiety in a way I wouldn't have imagined.
