Coffee Can Help Mood More Stable, Know the Safe Limit So as Not to Exaggerate

Illustration of coffee can help a more stable mood as long as it is consumed within safe limits (Freepik/tirachard)

YOGYAKARTA - Coffee is like a loyal friend for many people, especially when the morning is still heavy and work starts to come without warning. Interestingly, coffee and mental health have a fairly close relationship. Several studies show that consuming the right amount of coffee can help keep the mood more stable and make the body feel more energetic. But like a favorite song that is played too often, coffee can also have an uncomfortable effect if consumed excessively.

Coffee can help keep your mood up.

Caffeine in coffee is known to affect chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin which are related to comfort and a sense of happiness. Therefore, a cup of coffee often makes a person feel more focused, fresh, and excited to carry out daily activities. In addition to caffeine, coffee also contains antioxidants that help protect the body from inflammation that can affect brain health. This is the reason why coffee is often associated with better mental health.

Several studies reported by Verywell Health, Friday, May 22, found that people who drink coffee in moderation tend to have a lower risk of depression. The amount considered still safe is usually in the range of two to four cups per day. At this limit, the body can generally still tolerate the effects of caffeine well without too much interference. Even so, everyone's reaction to coffee can still be different.

Illustration of coffee can help a more stable mood as long as it is consumed within safe limits (Freepik)If it is excessive, the effect can be reversed.

Even though it has benefits, drinking too much coffee can actually make the body feel uncomfortable. Excessive caffeine can trigger restlessness, heart palpitations, difficulty sleeping, and increased anxiety. If sleep begins to be disturbed, mental health can also be affected because the body does not get enough rest time. Instead of helping the mind feel light, coffee can make the body like a machine that keeps being forced to work.

Not everyone has the same tolerance for caffeine. Some still feel fine after a few cups of coffee, but there are also those who immediately feel uncomfortable from just a small glass. Age, sleep patterns, health conditions, and even certain medications can affect the body's response to caffeine. Therefore, it is important for you to pay attention to your body's signals after drinking coffee.

The time of drinking coffee is also important.

In addition to the amount, the time of drinking coffee also determines its impact on the body and mental health. Drinking coffee too late in the afternoon or evening can make sleep quality decrease because the caffeine effect still lasts quite a long time in the body. Even though getting enough sleep has an important role to keep emotions stable and help the body manage stress. If sleep is messy, the mood the next day is usually also chaotic.

Illustration of coffee can help a more stable mood as long as it is consumed within safe limits (Freepik/mindandi)

So that you can still enjoy coffee without disturbing your rest time, you can consume it in the morning or afternoon. This way gives your body time to process the caffeine before the evening arrives. In addition, avoid the habit of making coffee as an "emergency savior" when your body is actually too tired. A cup of coffee does help temporarily, but the body still needs enough rest.

The type of coffee you drink also has an effect.

Not all coffee drinks have the same effect. Black coffee without too much sugar and cream is usually a better choice than sweet coffee drinks with excessive toppings. High-sugar coffee drinks do taste delicious, but if you drink too often it can have a negative impact on the overall health of your body. In the end, physical and mental health are interconnected with each other.

In addition, the size of modern coffee drinks often has a higher caffeine content than regular home-made coffee. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the serving size before consuming it. That way, you can be smarter about managing your daily coffee intake. So, enjoying coffee still feels comfortable without making the body overwhelmed.

Coffee and mental health do have an interesting relationship to understand. In the right amount, coffee can help keep the mood more stable, improve focus, and make the body feel more energized. However, if consumed excessively, the effect can actually trigger anxiety and interfere with sleep quality which is important for mental health. Therefore, recognizing the safe limit of drinking coffee is an important step so that the benefits are still felt without making the body overwhelmed.