IS ONG MONTH
WeeT, SWeeT COFFE

tudent brain

 

from the usual morning daze | had before my first coffee. Maybe | should have cut it out
sooner.

Douglas College Psychology Professor, Nicole Vittoz. explains the effects of
caffeine on our brain and bodies to the Other Press. She says caffeine is a molecule
similar to Adenosine, a neurotransmitter that produces calming effects in the brain and
body. Caffeine binds and blocks receptors of Adenosine, which prevents the calming
effects and instead produces a more excitable set of cells in the body and brain. This
contributes to the effects of caffeine we feel in our body—such as feeling jittery, an
increased heart rate, heartburn, urination, etc. In our brains, it makes us more
alert and improves mental focus.

Vittoz also explains that dependence relies on the individual and how
much caffeine they are putting into their body each day—dependence
is usually found in people who drink a lot of it.

“The more we use a drug, the more our body and brain adjusts
to the presence of the drug. This process is known as tolerance.
Over time, with repeated use of the drug, our systems begin to
compensate, and respond less and less to the drug. In response, the
user will tend to increase their dose, going from one cup of coffee each
morning to requiring two to three [to] feel its usual stimulating effects.
Once caffeine dosage escalates, we are at greater risk for experiencing
those unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when we have less caffeine or no
caffeine at all,’ she said in an email interview with the Other Press.

Consuming caffeine may have some perks, but there are some
downsides, especially if one forms a dependence or addiction to it. In
fact, according to Beth Doxsee—a peer health outreach coordinator
at Queen’s Health—drinking lots of caffeine has been linked to
insomnia, irritability, anxiety, high blood pressure, and elevated heart
rates. She also says it has a major affect on one’s mood and can
exacerbate anxiety for those who get anxious. This is something
| noticed in my experience in drinking coffee, and the stress
of going to both school and work probably doesn’t fare well
for students who also consume lots of coffee or caffeine
everyday.

  
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  

. his?
C . Lution to t
¢ The obvious 5° tof ee.

| lasted almost a whole month without coffee, but since student
life is so damn demanding, | had to search for other means to fulfill my
forceful caffeine craving for a perk-up on those especially hectic days.
On some occasions | settled for Monster energy drinks, but the amount
of sugar in them made me sick. After going a few weeks without the comfort
of coffee, | developed a love for a morning cup of tea. | found it made me much
calmer in my daily routine and didn’t give me the mid-day crash that coffee usually
does. | still do love my coffee, but now | avoid making it a habit of drinking it every day—
saving it for days when | am truly exhausted. For my everyday caffeine fix though, I’m
sticking with tea—and that’s the tea.