603 LIVING / HEALTH at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, who notes that she’s seen the effects of caffeine overload in her teenaged patients who are fond of energy drinks. In addition to elevating heart rate and blood pressure, caffeine can induce jitters, exacerbate anxiety disorders and cause insomnia. To avoid feeling fatigued in the first place and needing to reach for coffee, “first and foremost, get enough sleep,” says Gabrielle Phaneuf, D.O, a primary care physician at Core Physicians Primary Care in Epping. The average adult needs seven to nine hours, but when it comes to sleep, quality, not just quantity, counts, so practice what’s known as good sleep hygiene: Limit caffeine, especially late in the day. Don’t eat for two hours before going to bed and follow an established pre-bed routine that includes reading a chapter of a book, meditating, or doing something else that you find relaxing that signals “bedtime” to your brain.
To avoid feeling fatigued in the first place and needing to reach for coffee, “first and foremost, get enough sleep.”
What’s the Buzz?
The latest on whether caffeine is good for you, and how to boost energy without it BY KAREN A. JAMROG / ILLUSTRATION BY MADELINE McMAHON
A
re the grandest of grandes not enough for you? Whether you rely on caffeine to get through the day or just enjoy a little lift from one cup of morning joe, it’s good to know how your coffee habit affects your health. Coffee has gotten a bad rap in the past, but recent research has linked coffee consumption with health benefits such as a lower likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. 94
nhmagazine.com | November 2021
But too much of a good thing — well, you know how that usually goes. People’s sensitivity to caffeine varies widely, as does the amount of caffeine in different types of coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda and food (such as chocolate), but for most healthy adults, consuming up to 400 milligrams per day, or generally about four cups of coffee, appears to be safe. Taking in excessive caffeine can cause blood pressure to go “through the roof,” says Sara Shipley, A.P.R.N., a nurse practitioner
— Gabrielle Phaneuf, D.O.
Note that while television might help you unwind, it’s best to steer clear of electronic screens — including televisions, phones, and computers — for an hour or two before you turn in. Looking at screens stimulates the brain, Phaneuf says, making it difficult to fall asleep soon afterward. Also avoid alcohol as bedtime approaches. Although a nightcap might relax you and help you to drift off to sleep, it can interfere with later stages of sleep, making sleep less restful overall. Keep your bedroom off limits for activities other than sleep. During the pandemic, many people created makeshift offices wherever they could find space in their homes, and for some, that meant setting up shop in their bedroom. Ideally, though, “keep your bedroom just for sleep,” Phaneuf says,
