The results of unhealthy doses of caffeine include dizziness, anxiety, insomnia, irregular heart rates, restlessness, and headaches. These effects may lead to serious health risks that can result in death. The chances are low, and ingesting anything irresponsibly can lead to serious problems, but the long-term effects of caffeine are grave and develop from a couple of cups a day. Over time, regular ingestion can make your body dependent on the outside supplement to function and dangerously high blood pressure. High blood pressure makes your heart vulnerable to disease, failure, or a heart attack and influences anxiety.

Coffee is a stimulant, enhancing your brain activity and nervous system. Caffeine obstructs some sleep-promoting receptors, giving an extra boost while tired. When overdone, your body may get used to it, but with more coffee comes the previous health hazards. You may have coffee every day, but careless consumption is unhealthy.

Four cups are the recommended max for adults and one cup for teenagers, but many do not follow or are unaware of this rule. One cup (around one-third the size of a soda can) is advised, but many teens have four, or even five cups. According to the National Library of Medicine, it’s estimated 73% of children have coffee every day.

If you want to cut your caffeine intake, you may drink water instead! Water is healthier and wakes you up. Keeping yourself hydrated helps you feel refreshed and more aware of your surroundings, rather than the jittery paranoia that comes with caffeine. One or two glasses in the morning boosts your immune system and relieves your skin and mood. Drinking more water is a habit many people need to get into, and if you are to replace your addictive coffee, it’s an excellent switch.

More ways to wake up in the morning include avoiding the snooze button on your alarm, exposing yourself to light, a cold shower, and/or exercising. On the weekdays, you may not be able to work out, but a dynamic stretch helps get your body ready for the day. You may want to look into it for your individual needs and body, and would only need to wake up 5-10 minutes earlier.

A snooze button is a lovely tool for the weekend, but pressing it every morning gets you tired later in the day. When sleepy in the morning, it’s tempting but would negatively affect you for the remainder of your morning. In the time it takes to get relaxed and ready to sleep again, the alarm will go off, repeating the cycle. It makes your body drowsy from the stolen sleep, so it’s always best to at least sit up when your alarm goes off.

Nobody likes waking up to a bright light, but if you are having trouble going through your morning routine, opening a window (during the summer) or turning your light on can help alert your body. Exposure to sunlight may even help increase your mood, so having breakfast outside (once it’s warm again) can help start your day right.

If the former options are too time-consuming, that’s okay. Showering in cold water will immediately give you a boost and help wake you up. There are many other benefits to cold water, such as lowering stress and relieving pain, and it’ll help your skin and hair compared to warm/hot showers. If you can’t handle it, it’s alright to switch it to cold at the end for a quick shock, and/or start with cold and let it warm up.

Drinking coffee is alright and even healthy in moderation! But abusing it in the mornings is harmful and can cause yellow teeth even with proper brushing. If you drink coffee for the taste, it isn’t anything to be ashamed of, but it’s good to be aware of the side effects and consequences. If having coffee for caffeine, there are other methods. Some are even more natural and healthier for your body compared to the former.