Throughout the winter season, many people rely on hot drinks to stay warm. On early mornings, a warm, strong, cup of coffee is a necessity for those commuting to work or to school. It’s not just the warm temperature that is so alluring about these drinks, it’s what inside of them. Coffee and Tea contain a stimulant called caffeine that can over time cause an addiction. One would never think something so accessible and common could have that kind of effect. In fact, caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee and cacao plants that affects your brain by stimulating central nervous system. That’s why you always feel so alert and awake after consumption. Senior Amanda Gaza gets this effect from coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and chocolate daily.

Gaza believes that caffeine has a very noticeable effects on her body. “There’s a reason people start, and get addicted,” said Gaza. Caffeine is obviously a very good pick-me-up on those long, dragging, Monday mornings. But caffeine has some other helpful effects according to Gaza.  “I drink coffee stay more awake and alert throughout the day.” This is a plus, considering the majority of people would benefit from a little extra energy throughout the day.

However, coffee enthusiasts: beware. Caffeine has some harmful effects too. “If I drink four or more cups of coffee per day, I feel more nervous and irritable,” Gaza said. Depending on the time of day, Gaza has found it harder to fall asleep due to the stimulation of caffeine.

Many high school students experience these symptoms on a daily basis. “It got to the point where I honestly couldn’t function without coffee,” Gaza said. Dependence on caffeine is not a good habit to have, but with coffee shops such as Starbucks advertising everywhere and more and more people consuming these drinks, the dependence is only getting stronger. “I get a coffee every morning and sometimes during the day if I really need it,” said Gaza. The side effects of withdrawal from caffeine is much worse than their dependence. “When I don’t have coffee, I have headaches that make me tired, cranky, and really irritable,” said Gaza. These side effects can really affect your mood and daily routine. Having this dependence is not a healthy relationship, and Gaza is taking steps to try to break this chain as a new year’s resolution. “Instead of drinking multiple cups, I am trying to limit myself to one cup per day,” said Gaza. Coffee and tea pretty good, but a healthy lifestyle is much better.