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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Ottawa chapter.

A relationship that none of us wants to end is with coffee. It’s something that makes us super energetic and happy however, all that comes with a price. Once in a while, coffee can have a great influence on our physical and mental health but, we have to be careful with our consumption rate.

1. Anxiety 

Your anxiety could be the cause of over-consumption of coffee. Coffee increases one’s heart beat and blood pressure which could prevent you from thinking clearly. If you ever feel very anxious or overwhelmed, make sure to take a moment to take deep breathes, clear your thoughts and plan out your next move.  

2. Sleep deprivation 

Are you lying in bed wondering if you’re ever going to go to sleep and how you’re going to stay awake the next day? This usually puts us in the cycle of using coffee since it’s the reason why we can’t sleep but we need it to stay awake. One way to prevent sleep deprivation is to not drink coffee after 2PM and don’t drink more than 1 cup a day. 

3. Paranoia

With an excessive amount of sleep deprivation, one can start to hallucinate. This can have a giant impact on one’s mental health. Sounds may sound louder, vision may be blurred which may disrupt concentration. 

4. Alternatives 

A classic way to wean off of coffee is to try drinking herbal tea instead. If you’re not a big fan of tea, try having fruit in the morning instead. Fresh fruits have just the same amount of capability to wake one up for a fresh day of productivity. 

But no worries, we all have those days where we consume a bit more caffeine than others. Keep in mind that you are in control of your own body, and that you are in charge of what goes in and what doesn’t. You can choose to let some things effect your day and other things not. If things start to get a bit tense, take a breather and enjoy the scenery. You only live once! 

Sanjana Anwar

U Ottawa '21

Sanjana Anwar is in the joint-honours program of sociology and anthropology at the University of Ottawa. She is passionate about anything artistic (music, poetry, paintings) and has won awards relating to sketching from the 'House of Commons'. She hopes to share her experiences, knowledge, and thoughts with 'Her Campus' during her University chapters of life.
Fourth year Criminology student at the University of Ottawa, Leafs fan, makeup lover and Harry Potter enthusiast.