Less Coffee
Caffeine is one of the most common stimulants in our culture. In moderate doses, caffeine can:
- increase alertness
- reduce fine motor coordination
- cause insomnia
- produce nervousness and dizziness
- raise heart rate
- constrict blood vessels
- increase urine production
- create an addiction
Coffee is a common source of caffeine, but caffeine is also a component in tea, cocoa, chocolate, some soft drinks and certain drugs. Pure caffeine is odorless and has a bitter taste.
The boost in energy and feeling of heightened alertness that coffee drinking provides comes at a cost: addiction. It operates on the central nervous system using the same mechanism used by amphetamines, cocaine and heroin.
Want to quit?
To avoid the characteristic headache that comes from abruptly stopping cold turkey, most people report success in reducing their caffeine intake at the rate of 1/2 cup of coffee a day.
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