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Alexis Bazos
Dr. Erin McLaughlin
Multimedia Writing & Rhetoric
10 November 2016
To The Students Who Slept On The Risks of Caffeine Overuse
From the time an American student learns to read, catchy slogans, flashy posters, and
dramatic videos are forced in front of his eyes in an attempt to convey the risks associated with
drug use. By the time the student reaches high school, he is likely walking around mindlessly
repeating hugs not drugs and drug free is the way to be. This mindset is carried over to
college students who, regardless of whether or not they choose to partake, are well aware of the
dangers of drug use. Very infrequently will you hear a student tell her professor that she smoked
marijuana three times in the past week, as the behavior is not socially acceptable, especially on a
college campus. The line has been drawn and heavy alcohol use, street drug use, and
unwarranted prescription drug use are all definite nos. Now think about how frequently you
hear a peer brag about being on his fifth cup of coffee for the day. Those around him likely
laugh at the relatability of the claim, and suddenly a light-hearted competition regarding caffeine
intake breaks out. Twitter is comprised of memes, a percentage of which make light of caffeine
over consumption. Some students even snapchat each cup of coffee they consume in an effort to
show their peers how hard they are working. It becomes evident that caffeine lies on the other
side of the socially acceptable line. Think, dont drink does not apply to the 5 Hour Energy
you drank before your fourth class of the day, so you cannot categorize your behaviour as
anything other than instantaneously beneficial. It is because of this naive approach to caffeine
that we must delve further into the risks associated with our daily habit. The following

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paragraphs will address the limitations of excess caffeine intake, the reasons why you turn to this
drug, and how you can make simple adjustments toward a healthier routine.
In order for us to understand the limitations of caffeine over consumption, we must first
understand why we partake in the action and how we, as a society of college students, have
become so hooked on this seemingly harmless drug. According to a study conducted by Brown
University, 73% of American college students have problems with sleep. Furthermore, from a
pool of 95,712 college students from 139 different schools, most students claimed that they feel
sleepy or dragged out most of the time (Health Research Funding). This phenomenon is
prominent on college campuses throughout the country. As a generation raised with expectations
of immediate gratification, it is expected that students are looking to fast solutions to fix their
problems. In the current era, answers to any question can be found on google in under one
second, you can contact a friend halfway across the world through a cellular device almost
instantly, and you can call an uber to pick you up within five minutes and drive you almost
anywhere. With many classes, seemingly endless hours of studying, and a still developing sense
of proper time management, getting more than seven hours of sleep a night does not seem to be
an option. The venti coffee from the Starbucks next to your dorm, or the energy chews from the
convenience store on the other side of your quad seem to be the most reliable ways to ensure that
your grades will not suffer as a result of your lack of sleep. There are a number of reasons
behind a college students gravitation toward coffee. From an economical point of view, coffee
can be purchased for a little over two dollars. Seeing as most college students are living on tight
budgets, the $2.70 seems to be just affordable, especially when the cup supposedly contains the
extra two hours of sleep they forgot to get last night. Coffee is also the perfect excuse for a study
break. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign helped to prove the

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necessity of study breaks through their study, during which four groups of people were
examined. The four groups were given a brain intensive task to work on for fifty minutes. It
was found that, the group who took more breaks had the highest mental stamina at the end of
the fifty minutes (Patel). Students understand this need for breaks, which often leads to walks
to LaFun for a quick Starbucks run. It also doesnt hurt that you are likely to run into some
friends while on line, making the trip even more exciting.
Although most often associated with college students, this loose attitude regarding excess
caffeine consumption can be seen among Americans of all ages. A study conducted by Seth
Harden, founder of statisticbrain.com, concluded that more than half of all Americans over the
age of eighteen drink coffee everyday. Of these daily coffee drinkers, 60% claim they need
coffee to start their day (Harden). This behavior, as with most, is a learned behavior which
begins to formulate during our most impressionable years. Brescia University researcher notes,
caffeine is the only psychoactive drug that is both legal and generally socially acceptable for
children to use casually (Sparks). It is common knowledge that children strive to imitate the
actions of the older individuals in their lives. In this particular scenario, when a child sees an
adult or teenager drinking coffee, he is likely going to associate coffee with maturity. Through
in-depth interviews with young teenagers, Sarah Sparks, a reporter for Education Week,
confirmed that these students see caffeine consumption as a way to study better and appear more
grown up (Sparks). This concept is not dissimilar from the idea of children wanting to
experiment with drugs and alcohol in an attempt to prove their maturity. Once again, with
caffeine, this strikes little to no panic, while with other substances, adults and educators
rightfully feel the need to immediately intervene.

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As much as we would all like to believe that our caffeine energy surge means that we are
truly superhuman and able to thrive on a mere five hours of sleep, the harsh reality is that there is
no replacement for getting enough rest. Sleep allows your brain to recharge, organize memories,
and process information (Bradberry). Believe it or not, a morning cup of coffee can hinder that
nights rest. Travis Bradberry, a PhD. in clinical and industrial-organizational psychology
explains the timeframe as he states, caffeine has a six-hour half-life, which means it takes a full
twenty-four hours to work its way out of your system. Have a cup of joe at 8 a.m., and you'll still
have 25 percent of the caffeine in your body at 8 p.m. Anything you drink after noon will still be
at 50 percent strength at bedtime. Any caffeine in your bloodstream--with the negative effects
increasing with the dose--makes it harder to fall asleep (Bradberry). This timeline then
becomes cyclical: you cannot fall asleep at a decent hour at night, you wake up tired, you reach
for caffeine and repeat the whole process over again.
A common topic of discussion on college campuses is physical well-being. For the first
time in their lives, eighteen-year-old individuals are thrust into an environment without the
support of their families. The choices regarding their health which have previously been made
by their parents or loved ones are now in their own hands. Healthy eating, exercise habits, and
responsible alcohol consumption are preached by university personnel. Par for the course,
caffeine over-consumption is not once mentioned. For students concerned about their daily
calorie intake, caffeine is known to in fact increase the rate at which we burn calories.
Unfortunately, this piece of information is counteracted by the fact that caffeine also increases
hunger, explains Driedger, a former senior writer for Macleans magazine (Driedger). When you
look at both the merits and limitations, the risk you are taking by allowing caffeine to alter your
bodys natural processes is simply not worth it.

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Caffeine also lowers blood sugar (Driedger). This is a potentially serious risk which can
lead to fatigue, shakiness, and lightheadedness (Mayo Clinic). From an eager students point of
view, these symptoms are less than ideal when taking an important exam or finishing up a
lengthy research paper. Not enough to make you rethink your fifth latt? Caffeine can also
increase blood pressure (Driedger). This risk, especially over a long period of time, can increase
your risk of a heart attack, heart disease, and congestive heart failure (American Heart
Association). So, next time you want to do your body justice, when you swap the cheeseburger
for a salad, also think about passing up the red bull for an orange juice.
As often stressed college students, emotions play a large role in our ability to make it
through a week. Between the academic ups and downs, the difficult social situations in which
we find ourselves, and the struggle to create a life for ourselves far away from our childhood
neighborhood, it can be easy to let emotions drive your actions. Bradberry points out that
irritability and anxiety are the most commonly seen emotional effects of caffeine, neither
which are incredibly appealing to a student desperately trying to take deep breaths during an
organic chemistry final exam, but caffeine enables all of your emotions to take charge
(Bradberry). As you are likely well aware, an academic setting is rarely the place for you to be
overrun with sporadic emotions. Furthermore, excess caffeine might be the cause behind your
nerves getting the best of you or your increasingly frequent panic attacks (Driedger). No matter
how many extra hours of studying caffeine provided you with the night before, the day of the
exam could go worse than ever anticipated and caffeine will be to blame.
Think a key difference between caffeine and cocaine is the addictive properties? Think
again. Bradberry exposes the fact that caffeine is physiologically and psychologically
addictive (Bradberry). As with any addictive substance, cutting back could mean facing

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withdrawal symptoms. Even for light caffeine users, withdrawal symptoms can include
headaches and fatigue (Driedger). Because of these potential withdrawal symptoms, it is
important to decrease caffeine intake slowly rather than one day deciding to completely cut
yourself off.
For those still skeptical of the similarities drawn between marijuana and caffeine, rest
assured that the two substances are not one and the same. You are not expected to suddenly feel
the need to add caffeine to your presentation on the most dangerous substances with which
Americans experiment. There is no need to call your high school health teacher and argue that
he should have been less focused on the dangers of cocaine use, and rather focused his lessons on
the killer effects of a single cup of coffee. The idea here is that caffeine over-consumption
should simply have been addressed at some point. No, the discussion should not replace the
conversation regarding alcohol abuse, but yes, you should have previously been made aware of
the very real addictive qualities of the contents of your daily energy drink.
Additionally, caffeine is not all bad. There are some beneficial properties of caffeine, and
therefore there might be times during which a shot of espresso may be in your best interest.
Driedger even admits that caffeine can provide a temporary boost in energy and alertness
(Driedger). Driedger also outlines a study conducted by Guelph University which showed that a
moderate amount of caffeine may enhance an athletes performance, improve memory, and help
alleviate migraines (Driedger).
With this being said, it is vital to keep the word moderation in mind when thinking about
caffeine. If cutting coffee out entirely from your diet seems like the end of the world, try
substituting some coffee with tea. Although often still caffeinated, tea can have up to 200
milligrams less caffeine than coffee depending on the brew (Mayo Clinic). This simple

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substitution will hopefully not feel drastic, and will significantly cut down on your overall
caffeine intake. The University of California Davis recommends that students try to be more
aware of the number of caffeinated drinks they consume each day (UCDavis). It might also be
helpful to think of some study break options that do not include caffeine. A quick snack or a
walk around the quad could be the perfect substitute for Starbucks. This awareness along with
your newfound knowledge regarding the limitations of caffeine over consumption should make it
easier to feel confident in cutting back.
Finally, stop praising caffeine intake. There should be no magical feeling associated with
sharing your recent list of caffeinated beverages consumed. No student should be able to use her
10 p.m. brew as a demonstration of her superiority. If we, as a college campus, agree to stop
praising the constant coffee intake, we just might be able to help one another live more healthy
lifestyles. Instead, use your internal drink tally as a reminder of how many caffeinated drinks
you have already drunk. As the number creeps higher, remember healthier options and start to
look at possibilities for more sleep. You might not win the trendy college competition, but you
just might win the long-term game.

Works Cited
Bradberry, Travis. "Caffeine: The Silent Killer of Success." Inc.com. N.p., 03 Feb. 2015. Web. 07
Driedger, Sharon Doyle. "A regular jolt of java: high caffeine intake is a big concern."
Maclean's, 27 Oct. 1997, p. 60. Opposing Viewpoints in Context Nov. 2016.
Harden, Seth. "Coffee Drinking Statistics - Statistic Brain." Statistic Brain. N.p., 03 Sept. 2016.
Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
Patel, Neil. "When, How, and How Often to Take a Break." Inc.com. N.p., 11 Dec. 2014. Web.
27 Nov. 2016.

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Sparks, Sarah D. "School Nutrition; 'Adolescent Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Caffeine and
the Consumption of Caffeinated Beverages'." Education Week, March 16, 2016, 5.
Staff, By Mayo Clinic. "Nutrition and Healthy Eating." Caffeine Content for Coffee, Tea, Soda
and More. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"Why Blood Pressure Matters." Why Blood Pressure Matters. American Heart Association, n.d.
Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"10 Sleep Deprivation in College Students Statistics - HRFnd." HRFnd. N.p., 04 Sept. 2014.
Web. 02 Nov. 2016.