If you’re reaching for a cup of coffee to wake up, you may ultimately be making yourself even more tired.
Coffee is America’s most popular beverage, and 86% of America’s weekly coffee drinkers consume their cup of Joe in the morning, according to the New York City-based National Coffee Association (NCA).
Yet the beloved beverage gives some people a false sense of alertness by temporarily masking lifestyle habits that made them feel the need for coffee in the first place, experts claim.
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“Caffeine is highly effective at temporarily suppressing fatigue but often can be a Band-Aid that doesn’t address underlying lifestyle factors,” Alexander LeRitz, a registered dietitian in Canada, recently told The Takeout.
“You can think of it like a roller coaster: What goes up must come down,” Lisa Moskovitz, a registered dietitian, founder of NY Nutrition Group and author of “The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan,” told Fox News Digital.
“Caffeine will stimulate you and give you an energy boost, but eventually that wears off and when it does, you can expect to feel even more tired than before.”
The solution isn’t to cut coffee out of your life, but to evaluate what other lifestyle changes you should make, Moskovitz said.
“If you’re coffee-dependent, the question is, why do you need to drink so much throughout the day?” Moskovitz said. “Are you not sleeping enough or eating properly? If so, drinking caffeine will only make both issues worse.”
Inadequate hydration, stress and lack of exercise are other factors that can increase fatigue, Moskovitz said.
It’s also important to monitor your coffee consumption — both the amount and the timing of it.
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“Caffeine is most effective and tolerated when consumed in moderation,” Moskovitz said.
“That said, if you’re breaching the 400 milligram daily threshold, then adverse effects are more likely. Drinking excess caffeine, especially later in the day, can interfere with proper sleep, which can contribute to poor energy and brain fog, thus feeling even more dependent on coffee to get you through the day.”
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Coffee has been touted for its health benefits when consumed properly.
Coffee “contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Coffee drinkers are less likely to die from coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine nutrition experts said.
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A habitual brew also protects against colon cancer and Parkinson’s disease, experts claim, and could reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Drinking coffee has also been linked to improved mood and gut health, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
To make the most of your coffee habit, stick to between three and five 8-ounce cups a day and limit additives to about two tablespoons of milk or half-and-half, instead of loading up on sweeteners and artificial creamers, according to Johns Hopkins.
