Do you also get jitters from drinking too much coffee? If yes, you’re not alone. In order to get through the day, I usually end up having 4-5 cups of coffee. And well we all know how that ends. My heart beat gets so high and I start getting palpitations. So I promised myself to not harm my body willingly. Then I thought if I’m having these coffee jitters then there must be a lot other people going through the same. Let’s see what we can do to peacefully avoid these jitters.

What causes coffee jitters?

Coffee jitters or caffeine jitters are very common for the people obsessed with anything with caffeine in it. That might be Chocolate, dark chocolate or even tea. You would feel a sudden rush of energy followed by complete crashing down. Usually 4-5 cups of coffee is sufficient to produce caffeine intoxication in your body.

Caffeine causes the body to enter flight or fight mode and thereby that alertness, anxiety and rush. It’s okay to get our body in an alert mode during exams etc. but continuously keeping our bodies under this much stress and anxiety would screw up our system.

Related: Coffee or Tea: What do you think is better for you?

There is no specific amount of caffeine that would cause coffee jitters. Every person reacts differently to almost everything. There are some people whose metabolism can easily manage 4 cups of coffee and others who can’t sleep only after 1 cup of coffee.

I use this affordable and amazing instant French press coffee maker and believe me, it has made my life so easy. This brews my coffee to perfection in less than 4 minutes and it looks pretty too!

Disclaimer: There are a few affiliate links in the post and if you buy from those(with no extra cost to you), I might get a tiny commission that’ll help me support my blog. I only recommend products which I personally feel are worth buying.

How long do the coffee jitters last?

Caffeine reaches the bloodstream within 5 minutes of consuming it. The effects are seen usually within first hour of having it. And these symptoms last for several hours. But then again depends on the individual’s body. Some people have a really fast metabolism and they experience symptoms only for a short duration. But some experience these for a longer duration.

Effects of too much caffeine

You can have varied symptoms after drinking coffee or having caffeine in general but majority of the people experience these.

Mild Symptoms

• Sweating
• Restlessness
• Wakefulness
• Anxiety
• Sometimes, diarrhea and nausea

Effects on Heart

• Irregular heart rhythms
• Palpitations
• May exacerbate existing arrhythmia
• Rise in blood pressure

Muscle Spasms

• Twitching of the muscles particularly legs aka jittery legs
• Tremors in hands and legs

Effects on Sleep

• Sleeplessness
• Restlessness
• Can exacerbate restless leg syndrome
• Spontaneous jerky leg moments
• Trouble sleeping
• Insomnia

Effects on nervous system

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Uneasy nervous feeling
• Feeling disassociated
• Irritability

Other common effects

• Frequent urination
• Dehydration
• Flushed face
• Stimulated bowel movements

According to science, there’s no way to flush out caffeine out of your system. It’ll go away on it’s own. But we can do something to reduce the side effects of too much caffeine.

Also Read: Is dark chocolate as healthy as they say?

What to do about coffee jitters?

Type of coffee: Surprisingly coffee shouldn’t taste bitter if it’s fresh. If it tastes full of tannins and really bitter, it has gone rancid. Always prefer coffee which has been made from fresh coffee beans. You won’t have to use any artificial sweetener to make it sweet.

I use these fresh green coffee beans and the best is, it’s useful for weight management too. I’ve been making coffee from these from the past 6 months and the results are amazing. So if you want to have caffeine and keep a check on your weight, it’s a must buy!

Sleep more: More coffee means less sleep for you. If you are sleeping less, your body will crash down as soon as the effect of coffee starts to wear off. That will make you more tiresome than you normally would. So make sure you get a goodnight’s sleep to enjoy the effects of coffee.

Hydrate yourself: This one’s really important. But this doesn’t mean that you’ll drink two gallons of coffee in the morning and then be done for the day. You’ll have to pee way more and you’ll become more dehydrated. You should have regular sips of water throughout the day.

Timing: Always make it a habit to have your coffee with some food and after at least an hour of waking up. This will help coffee remain in your bloodstream for a longer duration and a longer lasting buzz. Don’t have coffee close to eight hours of sleeping. This would help you have an energizing effect of coffee throughout the day and a wonderful sleep at night.

Exercise: Physical activity has been seen to combat that shaky feeling. And atleast by this you’d burn a few calories.

Eat fibre rich diet: Eating food rich in fibre slows the release of caffeine in your bloodstream.

Reduce the consumption: This one’s obviously the most effective. If coffee is disturbing your body rather than helping you, it’s a clear cut sign you’re overdoing it. So instead of consuming more and more caffeine and screwing up your own system, it’s time to put a pause on it. Stop the consumption as soon as you start seeing the side effects.

Caffeine has become a daily part of our lives. But before it makes a daily problem of our lives, let’s keep a watch over how much is okay to consume. The rush and excitement after having it is really tempting but it’s of no use if it’s becoming a problem to our bodies. So from today, start noticing how much caffeine is too much caffeine for you and cut down it’s consumption.

What’s your favorite caffeinated drink/snack? Tell us in the comments below!