Caffeine tolerance can develop very quickly. All you need is to

drink 400 milligrams of coffee three times a day for seven days.

Although caffeine can perk you up, it can leave you feeling even

more fatigued and drowsy. Your body experiences a drop in sero-

tonin, which can cause anxiety, make it difficult to concentrate

and resulting in the loss of motivation. Some people refer to these

feelings as the caffeine crash. Not only does your brain experience

a crash, but your body also experiences withdrawal symptoms like

headaches and pains in the joints. Usually, having a cup of coffee is

enough to banish these unpleasant effects.

Here are some ways in which you can enjoy your caffeine in

moderation.

 ✓ Make mine a single. If you love your coffee, you may want

to think about limiting it to one cup instead of two. Studies

have found that cognitive skills improve after just one cup (8

ounces) of coffee. However, those who drank two cups ended

up more irritable with a faster heart rate. So use moderation

and ditch those extra cups of coffee – you don’t need them

and they certainly won’t make your brain work better.

 ✓ Tea for me. Tea, green tea in particular, is one way to get your

caffeine boost without all the negative side effects of addic-

tion and withdrawal. Read the section ‘Taking a cup of green

tea a day to keep the doctor away’ in this chapter to find out

more.

 ✓ Read the label. If you’re trying to cut down on your coffee

intake, be aware that caffeine is found in a lot of other drinks

and products. Of course, you probably know that tea and

energy drinks contain varying amounts of caffeine. But

most fizzy cola drinks have caffeine, too. If you have a cold,

check the box – some medicines also have caffeine in them.

Chocolate lovers may know that caffeine is present in choco-

late, so eat it in moderation and not before bed if you don’t

want to stay awake!

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