Do you find coffee makes you more anxious or stressed?

[akaAndrew]

I'm feeling more anxious and stressed of late (sadly, I'm not one of life's relaxed characters, even at the best of times!). I've been unable to track down a cause (which is making me anxious, ho ho) so have been looking at diet. We do drink more coffee than we used to but still not loads, maybe around 5 small cups a day on average. Googling around, it is suggested that caffeine can increase anxiety but it seems one has to drink more than I'm doing.

I'm going to conduct an experiment by laying off completely (and dealing with the inevitable withdrawal symptoms!) for a couple of weeks, but wondered what other people's experiences might be.

 

[ASC1951]

Some people are definitely more sensitive to caffeine than others. I regularly have to stop drinking coffee because it makes me feel jumpy and anxious, but:-
- it kicks in at about four mugs a day, which is a lot more than you are drinking
- it takes a week at least for the intolerance to build up, so I keep forgetting.

I would have thought some other cause was more likely in your case - e.g becoming more sensitive to reduced sunlight, or something at work. While you are waiting to find out what it is, it might be worth learning meditation/relaxation, which is always a useful technique.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I drink waaaay too much coffee. Mostly strong and black. I think I've developed an immunity to its effects now since it never keeps me awake or makes me stressed.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I'm feeling more anxious and stressed of late (sadly, I'm not one of life's relaxed characters, even at the best of times!). I've been unable to track down a cause (which is making me anxious, ho ho) so have been looking at diet. We do drink more coffee than we used to but still not loads, maybe around 5 small cups a day on average. Googling around, it is suggested that caffeine can increase anxiety but it seems one has to drink more than I'm doing.

Define 'small cup'! One 'small cup' of espresso, say, is equal to one large mug of cappuccino (if they do it right).
I'd say it could be coffee (don't forget tea here as well as a caffiene culprit!), try cutting down and see if it helps. I don't think I've ever drunk enough coffee to feel anxious or stressed from it, but usually only drink one mug a day - I 'need' one mug in the morning or I don't function well. The rest of the day I purposely don't drink coffee, although my tea consumption has increased of late. Some types of coffee also give me headaches (instant coffee) so I avoid those. But if I don't have my coffee in the morning I also tend to get a headache!

How's your coke/diet coke/pepsi consumption?

 

[Leah]

Caffeine affects me in a similar way. I find it is not the amount I drink per day, but the length of time I have been drinking it.

If I am having a bad week and have a red bull in the mornings and two cups of tea or so, by Thursday i'm having terrible thoughts about the safety of my family and worrying about every possible thing in work. I find I will wake up at night, then all I can think about are the bad things which results in me being awake all night. Which means I need caffeine to get through the day. And repeat

 

[Davidc]

No, and never has, but if I drink it after about 7 O'clock it keeps me awake though.

 

[e-rider]

5 cups per day sounds like loads to me - it will be having an effect for sure

 

[e-rider]

Caffeine affects me in a similar way. I find it is not the amount I drink per day, but the length of time I have been drinking it.

If I am having a bad week and have a red bull in the mornings and two cups of tea or so, by Thursday i'm having terrible thoughts about the safety of my family and worrying about every possible thing in work. I find I will wake up at night, then all I can think about are the bad things which results in me being awake all night. Which means I need caffeine to get through the day. And repeat

wow, stay away from the caffeine and red bull and you might break the cycle at some point - there is a better way!

 

[summerdays]

But if I don't have my coffee in the morning I also tend to get a headache!

How's your coke/diet coke/pepsi consumption?

I need one cup of coffee a day .. that morning one. I find that I don't notice any change to my stress levels, but that although I don't have to have the same amount every day, if it varies alot I get a headache. In fact if I have a headache I will have a coffee first to see if that fixes it before heading for a tablet.

As for coke/pepsi etc I've never noticed it having an affect but then I probably have less than one drink of it per month.

 

[e-rider]

I think a can of coke has about 1/2 the caffeine contain of an average cup of coffee (but loads of other shoot too)

 

[NormanD]

I have on average 10 or more cups of coffee per day ( I hate tea) and it has no effect what-so-ever, I sleep normal, I don't get hyper or feel lethargic in any way, so caffeine  don't bother me.

I really should stop walking on this ceiling, theres foot marks all over it! 

 

[Fran143]

I have on average 10 or more cups of coffee per day ( I hate tea) and it has no effect what-so-ever, I sleep normal, I don't get hyper or feel lethargic in any way, so caffeine don't bother me.

I really should stop walking on this ceiling, theres foot marks all over it!

But Norman, you dilute your coffee with bran flakes so that doesn't count. The use of the word normal in relation to yourself is somewhat of a bit of a mystery.

 

[Fran143]

Too much coffee can increase anxiety levels and cause palpatations, therefore you may benefit from reducing your intake. I replace mine with green tea with some blackcurrant juice in it when feeling jingly.

 

[akaAndrew]

Useful responses one and all. Some responses in no particular order...

I've considered relaxation and/or meditation before. The misses thinks I could do with it, and certainly my finger nails would thank me! Perhaps I should pursue the idea. Oddly, it would suit me. I am naturally (i.e. when calmed down) a chilled and easy going person, and I do believe in all that 'touchy feely' crap!

I do also believe we all have different sensitivities. The coffee's strength is obviously a factor. At a guess, I'd say my 5 small cups equates to maybe 4 espressos as maybe made by your favourite barista. Not shed loads but a fair amount per day. I don't drink any soft drinks (caffeinated or otherwise) at all, and my increased coffee intake is at the cost of green tea. I used to (couple of months back) drink only coffee or green tea (water and some milk excluded). Green tea also contains caffeine, albeit it not on quite the same quantities.

I'm back on the green tea now (day 2), perhaps the caffeine intake there will diminish any withdrawal symptoms from coffee. The big test will come at 11 - that's when the misses puts the coffee pot on. She needs her fix!

 

[jimboalee]

1 level teaspoon of Kenco freeze dried is correct to make 1 espresso with 50 cm^3 water.

I have the equivalent of 4 espressos in a 'jumbo' cup 5 times a day at work and I have 4 espressos per cup from my espresso machine at home.

Coffee wakes me up so I can concentrate on relaxing.