Published By: Ishani Karmakar

Escaping The Stress Caffeine Trap And Staying Healthy At Work

Many of us gulp down whatever we need to keep us on our feet and energized throughout the day without giving a second thought to how such beverages fit into our diets, calorie counts, or general health.

Too many of us start the day with a large cup of coffee, and then we need to pay more attention to our health by making good food choices throughout the day. Changing your beverage choice is an excellent first step toward better health and stress relief. Here are a few guidelines to get you started on workplace wellness.

How "Bad" Caffeine Is for You

Caffeine has gained a cult-likeadmiration, but the reasons why are unclear to most people. For this reason, many of us rely on coffee to boost energy after a long day or to get us going in the morning because it is a stimulant. So, it's easy to get a little pep in your step from it, but don't expect it to be cost-free. You've all experienced the dreaded coffee crash, we know. If you're feeling overwhelmed at that time, you might go for additional caffeine to help you cope.

We may not immediately recognize the consequences this has on our health, but it can have far-reaching repercussions.

Considering that caffeine may remain in your system for up to 12 hours, it could disrupt your ability to get a good night's rest. Caffeine, like other stimulants, can raise blood pressure, placing extra stress on the cardiovascular system.

Caffeine in moderate amounts (up to 300 milligrams daily) is generally considered safe when you are expecting, but consuming more than that might make you and your baby uncomfortable.

Caffeine is a diuretic, so it won't help you keep hydrated.

Light caffeine dependence can develop.

While it's OK to treat yourself to a cup of coffee every once in a while, and research suggests that it may even assist those who suffer from migraines, tension headaches, and fatigue while working out, the problem arises when coffee use becomes habitual and harmful. As such, you shouldn't give up your weekly espresso in the name of health, but if you require several cups to get through the day, you should reconsider.

Stress And Caffaine

The epidemic of stress, sometimes known as the "Silent Killer," is a major issue in today's world. Your body is flooded with adrenaline as you worry about meeting deadlines and getting the kids to school. Our hormone system becomes overwhelmed at some point, and our cortisol levels increase. As a result, the quality of our sleep suffers, and we stay even more exhausted than before. In addition to its negative effects on our hearts, minds, and creativity (not to mention our ability to relax and enjoy ourselves), stress may weaken our immune systems and dampen our life.

Caffeine and other stimulants are useful when stress levels are high, but they have the unfortunate side effect of increasing our production of the stress hormone cortisol.