Caffeine Dependence: Do You Rely on Coffee for Energy?
Do you rely on a cup of coffee to get you going in the morning? Perhaps you crash in the afternoon or are constantly craving something sweet.
Many people are dependant on coffee but unfortunately caffeine dependence isn’t normal. Relying on coffee for energy isn’t good for your health and here are some reasons why.
Coffee and Blood Sugar
Coffee can cause imbalances in blood sugar as it releases cortisol into your bloodstream. This results in physiological changes, like heart palpitations, a raise in blood pressure, reduced digestion, concentration and immune activity as your body thinks that caffeine is a sabre tooth tiger and switches into fight or flight mode. The cortisol release also means that your insulin spikes but then your blood sugar comes crashing down and you keep needing more and more coffee, sugar, carbs or other stimulants to keep you going throughout the day. Balancing out your blood sugar can be supported by changing your food choices.
Why am I low on energy?
There are many other reasons why you may be low on energy:
Too much or too little exercise, too much and you don’t give your body time to recover, too little and your adrenaline and energy levels can decrease which over time can cause basic activities to cause you fatigue.
Drinking too much alcohol – you might think that drinking helps you get off to sleep but excessive alcohol actually disrupts your sleep cycle.
Chronic stress can be a culprit in constant fatigue. Don’t let stress get the better of you, there are ways you can manage it including implementing the use of positive affirmations and ensuring your hydration need is taken care of.
A poor diet that is deficient in certain vitamins and minerals.
Tiredness can also be caused by a range of physical reasons. If you think your lack of energy may be due to a physical cause then please speak to your GP.
It can become such a habit to reach for a coffee to perk us up that we start to think it’s normal. I know, because when I first started with post-viral fatigue I was on 8 cups a day! If you are needing coffee to give you energy then now might be a good time to book a health consultation and find out why you are actually low in energy.
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