PICK ME UP OR PUT ME DOWN? COFFEE AND MENTAL HEALTH
Let me start by saying, first and foremost, that I am a keen coffee drinker. Like many, I find that the morning cup o’ Joe helps to get the cogs in the brain moving and make the world feel just that little bit brighter.
I started drinking coffee during my Master’s degree at Uni (anyone else here converted during their University years?!). In the early days, the euphoric rush that I got from 1 cup of coffee, sachet coffee even, was enough to have me skipping for hours! What was this wondrous drink called coffee? Now I understood what the fuss was about!
But I also found that sometimes, once the coffee high had worn off, it would be replaced with a strange sinking feeling in my gut. The feeling that something just wasn’t right… I recognised this feeling as anxiety, despite having nothing at the time to feel anxious about.
I persevered with coffee and luckily for me, I can now enjoy all the feel-good benefits without the sinking gut feeling! Thank you, increased caffeine tolerance. But with my work alongside individuals faced with mental health challenges, the question remained top of mind…
Is coffee good or bad for mental health?
Coffee’s Relationship with Depression
Good news coffee lovers! Coffee has been consistently shown to be protective against depression.
There appears to be what we call a ‘dose response’ relationship, with one study suggesting that each additional cup reduces the risk of depression by 8%! Within some limits obviously - the ideal consumption being above 68 mg/day and below 509 mg/day (1). A standard double shot of espresso ranges from 60-100mg of caffeine (2), putting us at 1-5 cups of coffee per day being A-OK (I was surprised too!!). Note that the caffeine content in a cup of coffee will vary depending on the beans used, the size of the cup, and how much milk is added. Instant coffee contains less caffeine than a fresh coffee shot.
A different study suggests that the peak protective effect against depression occurs at 400ml/day (3), and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) state that coffee consumption of up to 400mg (4-5 cups of coffee) is safe for most, although sensitivity to caffeine varies from one person to another, depending on their ability to metabolise it (4).
So the coffee pick-me-up is backed by science! On top of the mood-boosting benefits, coffee has also been shown to improve cognitive function, alertness, attention, and even protect the brain from neurological conditions such as Alzheimers disease. So far so good. What about anxiety?
Coffees Relationship with Anxiety
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in an increased heart rate, blood pressure, muscle activity and energy metabolism (5). This isn’t necessarily a bad thing - it’s why drinking coffee helps to make you feel more alive and focused!
Caffeine consumption can however be accompanied by some less favourable symptoms - such as restlessness, headaches, nausea, abdominal / stomach discomfort, increased urinary frequency, and insomnia (depending particularly on the time of caffeine intake). For most people, these symptoms aren’t a problem unless you’re drinking high volumes of coffee (i.e. exceeding the recommendations above), but those who are particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine, such as those who are new to coffee, may notice them even with smaller doses.
There doesn’t seem to be solid evidence that coffee in itself, consumed in moderation, causes anxiety… But let’s just point out that many of these symptoms are consistent with symptoms of anxiety. If you think about how you used to feel before school speeches… Heart racing, fidgeting, stomach-churning, needing to pee… They match up, right?
For those already prone to anxiety or panic attacks, adding caffeine to the (already overstimulated) mix may just nudge them a little bit closer towards an experience of anxiousness. One research article stated that “patients with panic disorder and performance social anxiety disorder seem to be particularly sensitive to the anxiogenic [anxiety promoting] effects of caffeine” (6)
Coffee, being a stimulant, is also not so desirable when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. And getting enough sleep is VERY important when it comes to mental health! The effects of coffee are typically felt for 4-6 hours following ingestion, so if you’re drinking coffee in the later afternoon/evening and having trouble falling asleep at night, you might need to make some changes.
In Summary…
The rule of thumb is that coffee - like most things - is fine (and even good for you!) in moderation. Stay below the recommendations of 400mg (approx. 4 cups) and most people can expect the positive health benefits without the negatives. Improved mood, focus and attention are all up for grabs!
If however, you find that you are experiencing some of these negative side effects after a coffee, then you may wish to cut back on the coffees or switch to decaf (decaf still contains some caffeine, but significantly less). And if your coffee intake is interfering with your sleep, then it’s definitely time to intervene!
Coffee lovers, relax. You don’t need to give up coffee! You may just need to keep some boundaries in place.
References:
1. Coffee and caffeine consumption and depression: A meta-analysis of observational studies (Wang et al, 2015)
2. https://coffeebros.com/blog/how-much-caffeine-is-in-espresso-and-coffee-hint-its-not-what-you-think/
3. Coffee, tea, caffeine and risk of depression: A systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of observational studies (Grosso et al, 2015)
4. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much
5. Coffee Acutely Increases Sympathetic Nerve Activity and Blood Pressure Independently of Caffeine Content (Corti et al, 2002)
6. Caffeine, Mental Health, and Psychiatric Disorders (Diogo, 2010)