HealthEssentials: Is reliance on caffeine helpful or harmful?
True, it can increase your energy and help you power through your day, but you can overdo it, says registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, MS, RD, CSOWM, LD.
“Caffeine is a stimulant, and it affects your body in several ways,” says Czerwony. “How much caffeine is too much? You have to weigh the risks and benefits.”
If you had a rough night’s sleep, you might reach for coffee to help get through the next day. Trouble is, too much of it can keep you up the following night. “It becomes a vicious cycle,” Czerwony says.
To avoid disrupting your precious slumber, skip caffeine in the afternoon and evening.
