Our relationship with caffeine

Credits: Vestavia Hills Magazine

The media below contains the opinion of an individual student and therefore does not represent or speak to the values of Vestavia Hills High School and Vestavia Hills City Schools

There you are, in the school lobby, observing the hundreds of students trickling in. It’s another Monday morning, and what do you see in many a teen’s hand? Caffeine. Some are sipping on Alani and Celsius. Some have just gone on a quick run to Vestavia Hills Nutrition and are toting a colorful, loaded tea. Some are committed to Monster Energy, and some swear by Starbucks. No matter the drink, the flavor, the color… the common theme is: caffeine!

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has noticed the increasing amount of caffeinated drinks students are consuming. And it's not just a trend occurring in Vestavia: according to several studies, adolescents’ consumption of energy drinks and coffee has generally increased. The cause of this can be attributed to various things. For one, advertising for caffeinated drinks has been directed more and more towards younger audiences. But also, student cultures are very much alive and are rapidly shaping and adopting new trends. Our Celciuses, loaded teas, and White Monsters are no different from our Birkenstocks, Alo skirts, and Sambas. But the thing that sets caffeinated drinks apart from a trendy pair of shoes is the potential danger they pose to our health and well-being.

I think we’re all aware that too much caffeine is a bad thing. But do we really understand the importance of keeping our caffeine intake under control? Consuming too much caffeine can not only lead to insomnia, irritability, headaches, and nervousness, but “tachycardia, arrhythmia, hypertension, hyperactivity, anxiety, and increased blood sugar concentrations.” And in some cases, the results are severe. One study found that with a “sixfold increase in sales of energy drinks” there was a “doubling of visits to emergency departments related to energy drink consumption, mostly among 18- to 25-year-olds.”

Even if your consumption of caffeine isn’t resulting in medical emergencies, it’s important to recognize the dark side of our coffees, teas, and energy drinks. Caffeine acts as a drug, and like all drugs, it's addictive! It has been proven that just three days in a row of consuming caffeine leads to caffeine dependence. And when your consumption of caffeine becomes regular, you are forced to consume more and more to combat your body's adjustments. This dependence isn’t just inconvenient; it’s expensive!

Credits: The Medical University of South Carolina

But I’m not here to tell you that you should avow never to lay a hand on an energy drink again. I’m writing this article as a person who drinks coffee on a daily basis and who frequently enjoys a Celsius before football games, parties, and so on. What I am here to say is this: be responsible, and be balanced! If you find yourself reliant on caffeine to make it through the day, be intentional in finding ways to get more sleep. If you enjoy highly caffeinated drinks for the rush of dopamine, research healthier ways to acquire that feeling—sunshine! Hobbies! SLEEP! And if you feel like you’re too far gone, don’t be discouraged. Reducing your caffeine intake can be as simple as putting the last quarter of your drink in the fridge for tomorrow, getting a smaller-sized cup, or finding a drink with a lower caffeine content. 

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. So, go ahead and have a nice cup of coffee. Go ahead and run to Vestavia Hills Nutrition before school. But consume mindfully, and caffeinate responsibly.