Coffee for most people is not just a drink that we enjoy several times a day. It’s a way of life and it’s very hard to think of managing our days and to-do lists without it.

The main reason we drink coffee is to feel more alert and vital, but does it really work for us? Bottom line, the answer is yes, but it comes with a big asterisk that’s important to think about.

We all know that there is a component in coffee that transforms it from a bitter, mediocre drink into one that makes us feel like our lives depend on it.. Caffeine is a stimulant with many virtues, but how much do you really know about its effects on the brain and nervous system?

To fully understand this effect, learn about adenosine, a chemical compound that is an essential part of the mechanism that regulates sleep and wake cycles.

When the brain and other body systems work hard, adenosine levels rise as this chemical is secreted within the various cells as part of the energy-producing process. The more energy cells produce, the more adenosine there is in the body, which binds to unique receptors that signal cells to slow down.

This is, of course, an essential mechanism that helps you understand when to stop and rest. When we listen to the body and rest after strenuous activity, adenosine levels drop and we feel more alert.

This is fine in theory, but people are busy, so we can’t always let go and relax. So when tiredness sets in, it’s only natural to drink coffee and benefit from the caffeine. Its chemical composition, very similar to adenosine, allows it to bind to those receptors and prevents adenosine from binding to them and causing the feeling of fatigue.

Everything that goes up must come down

Everyone knows Newton’s law, which states that everything that goes up must come down. As with everything in life, there’s a problem with the deal we make with caffeine and every cup of coffee that’s worth dwelling on.

Some researchers call it a loan. That is, caffeine does not actually increase the energy level, but rather lends it to us with a interest that we are not aware of.

Researchers have found that when caffeine binds to adenosine receptors, its levels in the body continue to increase as the component continues to build up and wait to be used up..

As caffeine breaks down and is released from the receptors, the accumulated adenosine eventually reaches its destination, causing greater and far more potent fatigue.

A similar mechanism, among other things, also occurs with the consumption of more powerful medicines or illegal drugs, such as Ritalin, or, conversely, cocaine. In such a situation, there are only two ways to fix the problem: consume more of these chemicals or simply listen to your body and give it the rest it asks for.

Not to avoid, but to plan more correctly

The goal of this article is not to convince you to give up the drink you love so much, but to understand it better. Obviously, coffee has many health benefits. Various studies have shown that coffee in the right doses can improve health in several ways and even extend life expectancy.

To allow coffee to benefit you, without causing unnecessary harm, think about the amount you drink and at what time. One study found, for example, that if you drink coffee later in the day instead of right after waking up, it can increase its positive effect.

When we wake up in the morning, the body naturally releases hormones such as cortisol which are meant to charge us with energy. Therefore, if you wait to drink the first cup when the energy decreases, its effect will be more beneficial.

Also, it’s important to understand that the body develops a resistance to caffeine over time. So if you feel like coffee just isn’t working for you lately, take a break for two weeks instead of drinking more.

Of course, avoid drinking coffee in the evening, at least five hours before bedtime to avoid sleep problems that will only intensify tiredness in the morning and repeatedly fuel this destructive cycle.

To prolong the effect of caffeine, drink coffee after eating and not before. Studies have not been able to show that caffeine causes harm when consumed on an empty stomach, but when drunk after a meal, it is absorbed and broken down more slowly and therefore its effect may last longer.

Finally, remember that caffeine can indeed help maintain alertness, but like other chemicals that affect the brain and nervous system, it’s not a magic drug and its effects are limited.

When you learn to use it intelligently, you can use it when you really need to without escalating destructive patterns of addiction and cumulative fatigue.