Coffee - Hero or villain?

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Ah, the beloved cup of coffee.

This is the second most consumed beverage in our country, second only to water. On average, Brazilians drink between 3 and 4 cups of coffee per day, which amounts to 5.8kg of coffee per person every year.

As someone who works a non-traditional schedule, you might be a fan (or at least have a colleague who is) of using coffee to stay awake during your work shift. But is this a healthy habit?

The health effects of coffee are controversial. On one hand, we have its rich antioxidant properties, which are linked to a reduced risk of various diseases. On the other hand, we have caffeine, a powerful stimulant that can cause problems for some people and interfere with your sleep.

The good side

Besides its antioxidant properties, coffee is also rich in many nutrients naturally found in its beans. To give you an idea, a typical 240 ml cup of coffee contains:

• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B3
• Folic acid
• Manganese
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus

The not-so-good side

Caffeine is definitely what deserves attention here. We're talking about the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. It's present in soft drinks, teas, and chocolates, but coffee is where it's found in the highest concentration.

Caffeine is a stimulant that acts directly on your brain by blocking the function of an inhibitory neurotransmitter (adenosine). By blocking adenosine, caffeine increases brain activity and releases other neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and dopamine), which reduces the feeling of tiredness and makes you feel more alert.

The problem lies in its short-term effect, which causes our bodies to become accustomed to this substance, building up a certain tolerance. The more coffee you drink, the less susceptible you become to its effects, requiring increasingly frequent and larger doses.

Additionally, excessive caffeine use can lead to mood changes, anxiety, palpitations, panic attacks, and poor sleep quality.

"But Sônia, I need coffee to get through work"

I understand, and I don't want you to think you can never drink coffee again. I just want you to understand how it works in your body and to use it strategically when necessary.

Coffee, while keeping you awake, doesn't necessarily give you more energy. This means the beverage will only temporarily mask the symptoms of drowsiness, and this doesn't prevent you from making mistakes during your shift, for example, because you're not rested—just awake.

To use coffee as a tool:

• Consume the beverage in the first few hours of your shift or right before taking a nap break, which is allowed in some companies. Since coffee takes about 15 to 20 minutes to take effect, and if timed correctly, you'll start feeling the effects of caffeine right after waking up.
• Avoid consuming coffee after the midpoint of your shift, since caffeine has an average half-life of 8 hours. This will prevent the beverage from interfering with your sleep when it's time to rest.

Remember, the best way to stay awake during your work shift is to get quality rest—this must be sacred.