If you’re in the 83% of American adults that drink coffee regularly, there is a good chance you’re drinking coffee every morning to give you that boost that you need to take on the day! So why is your morning coffee making you tired?

You’re Drinking Too Much Coffee (And Other Caffeinated Beverages)

If you’ve been drinking coffee for a while now, you likely have built up some tolerance to caffeine. Have you ever skipped your morning coffee and felt a bit of a headache? If you’ve ever felt that, there’s a good chance that your body has become acclimated to the caffeine you drink every day.

Why does your caffeine tolerance make you feel a bit sleepy after drinking a cup of coffee? Instead of feeling the full effect of each cup of coffee, your body feels progressively less every day. That anticipation is met less and less every day, so your body will start to feel more and more sluggish.

Coffee is a Diuretic

Another reason you might feel tired after drinking coffee is that coffee is a diuretic. This means that coffee increases the body’s output of urine and can lead to dehydration.

Among a myriad of negative side effects, dehydration can cause sluggishness and drowsiness. It’s important to keep yourself hydrated, regardless of whether or not you drink coffee. And if you do drink coffee (you probably do, let’s be honest), it’s even more important that you’re drinking more than just coffee!

You’re Taking Too Much Sugar With Your Coffee

Four sugars, two creams? There’s a good chance that you’re drinking coffee on an empty (or near empty) stomach. Adding several packets of sugar or sweeteners might make your coffee taste great, but it also spikes your blood sugar levels!

The spike in your blood sugar may be hard to notice because you’re also feeling the effects of caffeine. What you do feel, however, is the blood sugar crash 30 minutes later.

If you feel tired half an hour or so after you finish your first cup of coffee, it may be the sugar that’s causing the crash! Try taking your coffee black next time to see if you are still feeling tired after. We recommend a simple pour over if you have a hard time drinking black coffee!

The Link Between Coffee and Adenosine Receptors

Studies find that there is a positive correlation between the amount of coffee one drinks and the number of adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter responsible for making you feel tired.

Why does that matter? As you drink coffee, caffeine blocker the adenosine receptors in the brain. The body reacts by making more Adenosine receptors, further intensifying the crash that follows a couple cups of coffee! The solution to this natural body reaction is to drink coffee in moderation.

Before You Go!

We hope that you enjoyed this article and that you learned something new today! Take a look at our library of articles, including the basics of brewing among many, many others. We appreciate the support, stay Bougie!