Caffeine and Anxiety: How Caffeine Affects Your Anxiety

Caffeine makes you feel alert because it blocks adenosine - a neurotransmitter that activates drowsiness and exhaustion. That is why caffeine often feels like a quick fix.

However, caffeine can cause serotonin depletion in the long run. When serotonin is low, there is a risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

Caffeine can cause insomnia, particularly when consumed in the evening.

Instead of getting high-quality sleep, your sleep is disturbed. If you're someone prone to overthinking and anxiety, insomnia can cause a negative spiral in your thoughts and prevent you from having restorative sleep.

Some people can sleep after caffeine intake, while other individuals with anxiety can become caffeine sensitive. That is why they feel palpitations, restlessness, and jitters.

People can become caffeine sensitive because of their genes, metabolism, age, lifestyle, or medications that don't mix well with caffeine.

Caffeine is no longer only found in coffee and tea. Caffeine can be found in sodas, coffee, tea, energy drinks, prescription drugs, painkillers, vitamins, and supplements.

A 1/4 tablespoon of caffeine can cause acute anxiety, so if you're sensitive to caffeine, it will likely affect you. One tablespoon of caffeine is enough to kill an adult.

Caffeine deprives your brain of nutrients that impact your mood and brain functions, such as Magnesium and Vitamin B. Magnesium plays a role in anxiety and depression, and Vitamin B is known as the anti-stress vitamin.

Anxiety causes reduced blood flow to your brain, and caffeine worsens it. That means that your brain gets fewer nutrients such as oxygen and water.

Caffeine withdrawal can cause anxiety. Anxiety is common in those who choose to quit drinking caffeine or even gradually reducing their caffeine intake.

This is more true for those who depend on caffeine to function, such as a morning cup of coffee. Withdrawal symptoms can last for a week or two.

Not all caffeine is natural, such as caffeine found in sodas and energy drinks.

Added caffeine is made synthetically and can damage your health worse than natural caffeine. Synthetic or added caffeine is also found in painkillers and prescription drugs, making it easier to overdose on.