Coffee at work is practically a sacred ritual.

Recognized Benefits

  • Better focus (because who doesn’t need laser-sharp concentration?)
  • Productivity boost (the magic word that gets everyone nodding)
  • Social glue (because bonding over caffeine is totally a thing)
  • Antioxidants (fighting off inflammation in your blood vessels like tiny superheroes)
  • Pleasure too, because yes, that actually matters

Potential Dangers

The internet loves to warn us about these:

  • Sleep delay or outright insomnia (because who needs rest anyway?)
  • Overconsumption leading to nervousness, irritability, palpitations, and other delightful symptoms
  • Health risks linked to certain professional coffee machines that apparently filter out aggressive substances about as well as a sieve

Common Myths

All the following statements are false (sorry to burst your bubble):

  • A long coffee (americano) contains more caffeine than a short one (espresso)
  • The effect of coffee is immediate (spoiler: it’s not)
  • Exercising helps you get rid of coffee faster (nice try, but no)

Experience Shows That…

In theory, your body takes 4 to 6 hours to eliminate half the caffeine you consumed.

So, by bedtime (say 7 to 8 hours after that 4 PM cup), most people still have just under half the caffeine buzzing around, which might explain some sleepless nights.

In practice, the impact on sleep (and health in general) depends on a host of other factors that rarely get mentioned:

  • Some folks feel negative effects even at reasonable doses, while others can down coffee like it’s water and be fine
  • Drinking coffee too fast can cause discomfort, and this is more likely when you’re flying solo-so maybe save it for the break room chit-chat
  • Here’s a simple but overlooked fact: drinking coffee from a mug instead of a tiny cup ups the dose (even if you dilute it)

Should You Quit Coffee If You Have Problems?

I’d say no, unless your doctor says otherwise or you’re severely intolerant.

Overdoing any stimulant will cause issues, but it’s mostly about adjusting to your own situation.

You can’t really compare coffee to alcohol, in my humble opinion.

Besides, the real culprit might be your coffee machine or a specific product, not the coffee itself:

  • Poor maintenance
  • Faulty filters
  • Stale coffee beans
  • Quality of the crema (because foam matters)

Don’t hesitate to try different coffee sources before you banish it from your life.

Sugar seems nastier, for example.