Suffering from Caffeine Overdose? These Tips Will Help
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that
countless people rely on every day. It is found in a range of food items
like coffee, tea, energy drinks, and chocolate, and many of us can’t do
without having these on a daily basis. However, consuming too much
caffeine can cause a variety of side effects such as dizziness, anxiety,
feeling jittery, sweating, an increased heart rate, and difficulty in
sleeping. Most of these symptoms won’t endanger your life but will
certainly be unpleasant to endure.
So, how much caffeine is too much? Every
individual metabolizes caffeine differently, depending on their
genetics, age, weight, tolerance, and liver. However, experts say that
400 milligrams or above is generally the amount considered excessive for
adults - the equivalent of about 4 cups (945 ml) of coffee. To learn
more, you can check out our previous article dedicated to the topic, Are
You Drinking Too Much COFFEE? Here’s How You Can Tell.
The problem is that caffeine’s side effects
can last frustratingly long. That’s because once it enters your body,
it’s rather difficult to flush caffeine out of your system. Moreover, if
you drank coffee along with some other caffeinated beverage, then the
jitters will last longer.
Caffeine overdose can ruin your entire day. However, there are simple
ways through which you can reduce caffeine’s effects and flush it out of
your system quicker. Here are a few of those tips that will help.
1. Drink sufficient water
Staying hydrated throughout the day will
certainly help in getting rid of the jittery feeling caused by consuming
too much caffeine. While research on this subject is limited, experts
say that dehydration may make your caffeine overdose symptoms worse and
hence keeping yourself hydrated is important to better cope with the
side effects.
Furthermore, caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, which leads to an
increase in urination. To make up for the fluid loss, it is essential to
drink sufficient water throughout the day. Ideally, having an extra
glass of water for every cup of coffee that you drank should be
sufficient.
2. Exercise
Once you’ve crossed the caffeine line, it wouldn’t be prudent to stay
still. So, if you want to diminish its effects, your best bet is to get
moving. Go for a light walk or a jog to relieve anxiety and jitters.
Light exercise will help release the unwanted energy that you would have
accumulated from excess caffeine. Moreover, exercising will also help
metabolize caffeine. Pick an exercise that you normally enjoy and that
gets you moving.
Do note, however, that if you notice anything unusual happening to your
heart rate – a sudden rapid increase, for instance – then stop
immediately.
3. Eat slow-digesting fiber-rich food
To inhibit the absorption of caffeine into your bloodstream, eat
fiber-rich foods like whole grains, veggies, or legumes. Even items like
beans, lentils, starchy vegetables, nuts, and seeds will help. Getting
more fiber into your system will make you feel full and ensure that you
feel less sluggish. Check out our article on 14 Fantastic Natural
Sources of Healthy Fiber for more help.
You can also snack on fresh veggies like bell peppers, cucumber, and
celery as they are high on water content and have a crunchy texture that
will help ease those jitters.
4. Eat cruciferous vegetables
A definite way to shorten caffeine's half-life in your body is to boost
the production of the CYP1A2 enzyme (a member of the cytochrome P450
superfamily of enzymes). So, theoretically, if we eat something to
increase the enzyme levels, caffeine would be broken down faster.
A study published in the Oxford Journal of Carcinogenesis found that a
diet rich in cruciferous vegetables helps increase the production of
CYP1A2 in the body. These foods include items like broccoli,
cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, among others, which are extremely
healthy for your body. They will also help in enhancing your metabolism
and make it easier for clearing caffeine quickly.
However, simply chomping on some broccoli won’t treat your coffee
jitters instantly. The vegetable will still have to go through the
process of it breaking down and absorbing the food which might take 7- 8
hours. Thus, if you are prone to being overcaffeinated, eat some
cruciferous vegetables at the start of the day to prevent any issues
later.
5. Boost your Vitamin C
As we mentioned earlier, caffeine has a
mild diuretic effect that can lead to an increase in urination.
Consequently, water-soluble vitamins, such as B-vitamins and vitamin C
can be depleted due to fluid loss. What happens here is that your body
is being tricked into thinking you have a vitamin C deficiency. To get
some vitamin C back into your bloodstream, chew on some oranges, sweet
limes, or grapefruits. These vitamin C-rich fruits will also boost your
blood antioxidant levels and will improve your immunity. So, you have
added reasons to chomp on them.
6. Drink a cup of herbal tea
Herbal teas have numerous health benefits,
ranging from improving your digestive system to boosting your immunity.
These teas will also help counterbalance the effects of caffeine on the
body. Since herbal teas contain no caffeine, they are a safe option to
help you feel relaxed. They would be particularly useful in checking
your anxiety, one of the known side effects of a caffeine overdose.
Also, since coffee jitters make it difficult for you to go to sleep, you
can try sipping on a cup of chamomile tea that is renowned for its
calming effects and is used as a natural remedy to treat insomnia. In
fact, chamomile is generally viewed as a mild tranquilizer or sleep
inducer.
Other herbal teas you can try are ginger tea, peppermint tea, mint tea, lemon balm tea, and Hibiscus Tea.
7. Practice some meditation and wait it out
The best way to get rid of caffeine from
your body is to wait for it naturally flush itself out. Unless you are
caffeine-sensitive, this usually takes 4-6 hours. So, if you have the
time, simply wait out your caffeine overdose to get over it completely.
If you are feeling too anxious, try practicing deep breathing for 10-15
minutes while you are waiting. Take slow, deep, deliberate breaths, and
don’t let any negative thoughts enter your mind. Meditation is also a
good option that will help relax your mind and your nervous system as
you are coping with the coffee jitters and nervousness. If you are
anxious, your breathing is likely to be fast and shallow and that will
make you even more restless. Meditation and deep breathing will help in
this regard, too.