When Should You Avoid Coffee?

Coffee is a go-to beverage that many of us enjoy on a daily basis. At times, though, it’s a good idea to avoid the beloved beverage. Here’s a look at some scenarios when you should probably forgo having a cup.

Don’t Drink Coffee Before Going to Sleep

Coffee, of course, will keep you awake. It increases adrenaline, blocks adenosine and delays dopamine reabsorption, all of which increases alertness and decreases sleepiness. Caffeine doesn’t just have short-term effects on sleep, though. Researchers have recently confirmed that it interferes with people’s circadian clocks when consumed shortly before going to sleep.

In light of this, it’s not a good idea to drink coffee at night. In general, you shouldn’t have caffeine within about 6 hours of going to bed.

Avoid Coffee When You’re Sick

If you’re sick, it may be especially tempting to rely on coffee to get you through a long, drowsy day. Coffee isn’t a good choice if you’re ill, though, because it will dehydrate you (and can make sleeping at night difficult). Additionally, coffee can make your stomach upset, which could make any nausea or vomiting you’re experiencing worse.

Water is the best beverage for when you’re sick (and when you’re healthy). If you’d like something else to drink, tea is a better choice than coffee. Tea contains antioxidants and less caffeine, and will sooth a sore throat. You can return to coffee once you’re well.

Forgo Coffee When You Have a Hangover

Some people rely on coffee to cure a hangover, but there’s little scientific evidence that caffeine alleviates them. While drinking coffee might help stay a withdrawal headache, it can also exacerbate a headache by narrowing blood vessels and increasing blood pressure. Most importantly, caffeine won’t make you sober. It may make you more alert, but you’ll still be intoxicated, and your judgement impaired.

If you have a hangover, drink water instead of coffee. If you must have coffee to wake up, only have a little and continue to primarily drink water.

Limit Your Coffee Intake If You’re Pregnant

There are two reasons to reduce your coffee intake during pregnancy. First, caffeine will elevate your unborn baby’s heart rate. Second, while studies are inconclusive, some suggest that drinking coffee during pregnancy could slightly increase your risk of having a miscarriage.

The Mayo Clinic, which provides these reasons, recommends limiting caffeine intake to 200 milligrams per day during pregnancy. This is the equivalent of one to one-and-a-half cups of coffee per day.

Discourage Your Kids from Drinking Coffee

According to Dr. Donald Hensrude, who has worked with the Mayo Clinic, parents should be “concerned” about children’s coffee consumption but not “worried.” Children are more susceptible to caffeine’s effects than adults because they’re smaller. An single caffeinated beverage, including one cup of coffee, isn’t likely to cause long-term side effects. At this point in time, there are no official guidelines about children’s coffee drinking habits, but they should be kept in moderation.

Listen to Your Doctor If They Say Stop

Most of all, you should listen to your doctor if they recommend not drinking coffee. Coffee is fine for most people to drink, but people with some medical conditions may be better off without it. If your doctor says you need to stop drinking coffee for a medical reason, listen to them and stop.

When You Want Or Need Coffee

There are a few times when it’s wise to forgo coffee. If you’re going to sleep, sick or hungover, or have a medical condition, switch to water, tea or another beverage. For those times when you can and want to drink coffee, though, we at Driftaway Coffee are here to get you great-tasting coffee. We have several coffee subscriptions you can choose from that will send freshly roasted coffee to your front door.