I often go to bed looking forward to my coffee in the morning, excited to watch the barista expertly pour the milk into latte, before sending me off on my commute.
At the weekend I love to luxuriate with my long white and often go well out of my way to find the best coffees in a new city (European Coffee Trip is the best app in the world for finding speciality coffee wherever you are).
But when anxiety gets on top of me (and it often does), coffee is the first thing I cut from my routine – and musician Charli XCX is on the same page.
© InstagramIn a new interview with Rolling Stone, the Brat icon said she's in the 'worst place mentally,' of her whole life, and as a result, has quit drinking coffee to help soothe the symptoms. But does coffee actually impact anxiety, or is quitting my daily latte a stab in the dark at lessening my worries? Nutritionist Charlotte Faure Green explains.
Anxiety and coffee
"Caffeine stimulates the nervous system in a very similar way to our natural stress response," Charlotte begins. "It triggers the release of adrenaline and raises cortisol, which is what happens when we're anxious."
"Caffeine stimulates the nervous system in a very similar way to our natural stress response"
As well as the immediate hit of anxiety coffee can create (not ideal, when levels are already up), it adds to my worries by convincing me I won't sleep that night – even if it's over 12 hours since I sipped my coffee.
© Emma Croman"Coffee blocks a brain chemical called adenosine, which builds up throughout the day and creates what's known as 'sleep pressure', the tiredness that gradually gets us ready for bed. Caffeine blocks the receptors adenosine would normally bind to, so we don't feel that pressure, even though it's still building underneath. That's part of why the come down can feel so abrupt, and why the nervous system stays a little more switched on than it needs to be."
I've had friends look at me quizzically when I've told them I quit coffee for my anxiety, not understanding that my favourite drink adds to my worries – but they're not simply being dismissive, Charlotte explains that not everyone is impacted by coffee in the same way.
"There's a genetic element to it. Some people metabolise caffeine much more slowly than others, so the same cup can sit in their system for hours, which is often why two people can drink the same coffee and have completely different reactions."
Other options
If you don't want to cut out your daily coffee, Charlotte shares her advice for keeping it as part of your daily routine, while limiting the anxiety-inducing effects.
1. Don't drink coffee on any empty stomach
"When we wake in the morning our cortisol levels are high (or should be) and rise to a peak shortly after," Charlotte begins. "This isn't a bad thing – it's part of our natural diurnal rhythm, to get us going in the morning.
Things get tricky when we add coffee on top of this natural high, because caffeine spikes cortisol and adrenaline (our stress hormones), so you're adding a stressor to a potentially already stressful hormonal situation, when your cortisol is just trying to do its thing. You’re revving the engine, adding fuel to the fire and this can cause a cascade of hormonal and blood sugar issues, with short (and long term) implications to your mental health."
The solution is simple, Charlotte says. Have your coffee after eating. It buffers the body's response and tempers your adrenal reaction.
2. Have your coffee with protein
Keeping blood sugar steady helps to keep our anxiety low, so Charlotte recommends pairing your coffee with protein rather than having it alone or alongside something sugary.
"This slows how quickly caffeine reaches its peak and steadies its impact, whereas coffee with something sugary can cause more of a rollercoaster, and that dip afterwards can feel a lot like anxiety creeping back in."
3. Don't forget magnesium
"Magnesium rich foods such as greens, nuts and seeds (and dark chocolate) can help too, since magnesium plays a role in calming the nervous system, which can balance some of that jitteriness," Charlotte explains.
"L-theanine is another nutrient that can help – it is an amino acid found in green tea that promotes calm focus without sedation. Some people find swapping a coffee for a cup of green tea, or matcha, gives them the lift without the same anxious edge, since the L-theanine counters caffeine's stimulating effect."
