☕️ Caffeine Quandary: Boost Or Bust?
Words < 950 - Read time < 5 mins
Introduction
Discussing caffeine can be a touchy subject for some.
Many developers swear by it for their productivity.
It’s entangled in the software developer stereotype.
Some can’t function without it.
Others claim to have given it up entirely and are more productive than ever.
It’s not as clear-cut as we’d like.
Let’s explore caffeine in more detail.
Key Takeaway 🔑
✅ Caffeine can provide a short-term boost in focus and energy, potentially improving your productivity and mood.
✅ Caffeine dependency is a cycle that’s not easy to recognise.
✅ Balance caffeine intake to avoid overreliance and potential side effects such as jitters, crashes, disrupted sleep patterns and morning grogginess.
My Relationship With Coffee
Earlier in my career, I drank upwards of 6 coffees a day.
I took two sugars back then, too.
I experienced various symptoms, including headaches and jitters.
I didn’t link it to the coffee, though.
Feeling Like A Zombie
One symptom I found most annoying was waking up super tired.
It didn’t seem to matter how much sleep I’d had.
I’d still be like a zombie for the first hour or two of my day.
Why We Sleep - Matthew Walker
Later, I reduced my coffee intake considerably, but I’d still have three a day.
At least I no longer took sugar.
Then I read “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker.
It cleared up a few things and changed my approach to caffeine forever…
Caffeine And Your Brain
To understand caffeine's impact, we must investigate its influence on adenosine levels and its interaction with adenosine receptors in the brain.
Adenosine
Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that interacts with adenosine receptors in the brain.
This is how your brain detects a buildup of adenosine.
Adenosine builds throughout the day. As it binds to adenosine receptors, you become tired.
It increases your sleep drive until you fall asleep.
During good-quality sleep, adenosine levels decrease and trigger enough alertness to wake you naturally.
This cycle is continuous.
Caffeine
Enter caffeine.
Caffeine competes with adenosine and binds to the adenosine receptors, effectively blocking your natural accumulation of sleep drive (tiredness).
This is the boost you might feel from caffeine.
Unfortunately, that buildup of adenosine doesn’t go away.
It still needs to bind to adenosine receptors and can’t do that until the caffeine has been metabolised (cleared).
Guess what happens when the caffeine has been metabolised…
Adenosine floods in and binds to the adenosine receptors.
Giving you a sudden increase in sleep drive…
This is the caffeine crash you might tell yourself you don’t feel…
Morning Grogginess
If caffeine is still in your system during your sleep cycle, you can wake up to a buildup of adenosine.
That buildup of adenosine hits you upon waking, making you feel extra tired.
You turn to caffeine to wake you up a bit…
Only now, that caffeine isn’t boosting you.
It’s most likely getting you back to what used to be normal.
Suddenly, you feel like you can’t function without caffeine…
Why It Matters 🤷♂️
It’s important to understand your relationship with caffeine.
Caffeine tastes great, which makes it easy to overstep the mark.
Doing so can lead to caffeine dependency.
Caffeine Dependency
Caffeine dependency is linked to a host of unpleasant side effects, such as:
🔴 Headaches, irritability, difficulty focusing and disrupted sleep.
🔴 Increased Heart Rate and Blood Pressure, which could be harmful.
🔴 Increased risk of anxiety and nervousness.
Look out for signs such as:
🔴 Increased tolerance to caffeine's effects.
🔴 Difficulty functioning without caffeine.
🔴 The need for larger doses.
Sleep Disruption
As discussed already, caffeine can play havoc with your sleep.
Disrupted sleep can have big impacts. Here’s just a few:
🔴 Impaired Cognitive Function
🔴 Weakened Immune Function
🔴 Hormonal Imbalances
On the flip side…
🟢 Caffeine tastes great.
Used wisely, it could be:
🟢 The boost you need to finish that task.
🟢 The catalyst for building new relationships.
🟢 The energy you need to get you to the gym.
Take Action 🔥
Here’s how to maximise the benefits of caffeine while minimising potential drawbacks.
Upon Waking
Try to avoid caffeine as soon as you wake up.
Replace it with water, and look forward to your coffee 60-90 minutes later.
Monitor Consumption
Be mindful of your caffeine intake to avoid excessive consumption and increased tolerance levels.
Caffeine Timing
Pay attention to the timing of your caffeine consumption.
To prevent interference with your sleep quality, avoid caffeine after 2 pm.
Morning Grogginess
Morning grogginess may indicate residual caffeine effects or disrupted sleep patterns.
Reaching for coffee might not be the answer.
Alertness Alternatives
Explore alternative methods of boosting alertness.
Such as:
🟢 Hydration
🟢 Nutrition
🟢 Physical activity
These can complement caffeine intake for sustained energy levels.
Rich’s Recommendations
Check out my recommendations to improve your wellbeing, mindset, leadership or tech skills:
👍 Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
👍NK’s weekly newsletter to learn system design:
Newsletter: System Design Newsletter
👍
’s weekly newsletter providing actionable advice for software engineers to grow faster in their careers:Newsletter: High Growth Engineer
👍John Crickett’s weekly coding challenge to help software engineers level up:
Newsletter: Coding Challenges
Closing
The caffeine quandary is loaded with stereotypical bias.
For many developers, it feels like part of their identity.
It’s important to take a step back and look at things objectively.
By understanding the interplay between caffeine consumption, adenosine levels, and sleep, you can optimise your habits for sustainable performance and wellbeing.
We aren’t talking about eliminating caffeine entirely.
We are talking about building awareness about your individual needs to inform your decisions.
Enabling you to boost your productivity and improve your wellbeing.
Remember
There’s nothing more important than your own wellbeing.
I love coffee, and I can't live without it. 😅
This is probably an exaggeration, but still, that smell of it... I could smell coffee beans all day long 🥰
Drinking coffee is fine until it doesn't mess up your sleep, which is as vital as eating or exercising. Glad you recommended Why We Sleep! I'm finishing the book soon, and it blows my mind.