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How to Neutralize Caffeine
Here are tips, helpful pointers, and positive methods to try if you find yourself suffering from the effects of too much coffee.
Published December 5, 2022
Daniel Hedlund
Coffee experts@Era of We
How much is too much caffeine? The answer to this question is different for most people. For example, those that drink coffee regularly tend to build up a higher tolerance level than the occasional partaker. Yet, everyone has their limits, and it is essential to respect that so as to not cause harm to your brain and body. Some experts suggest no more than four cups a day for anyone, and this is solid guidance to live your life by. Even if you are tempted by another cup, you have to check in with your physical self. If, for instance, you are having jitters, feeling anxious, and can feel an impending headache it’s time to put down the cup and look closely at how to dilute caffeine in the body to counteract the negative effects immediately.
The Biggest Dangers of Excessive Caffeine Levels
So, why is too much coffee dangerous? There are lots of reasons to support this fact. It is not a myth that needs busting. When you have too much caffeine in your system, you are putting your health at risk. The top signs and symptoms to watch out for are:
- Sudden headaches that you can’t shake - these could even evolve into migraines that force you to lie down
- Feeling sick, or vomiting
- Dizziness and all light-headed associated symptoms
- Hyper alertness which sparks anxiety
- Trouble with falling or staying asleep
- Loose bowel movements
- Irregular and rapid heartbeat
- Addiction-like withdrawal symptoms
- Excessive urination
Drinking coffee can make you feel like you’re capable of walking on water, but only if you don’t take it too far. One cup too many can cause headaches, nausea, jitters, and even a complete crash down to exhaustion town. If you need to know how to neutralize caffeine in the body and regain control, there are thankfully a few methods you can try out.
How to Neutralize Caffeine
To address the question of how to neutralize caffeine in your bloodstream, you have to be able to recognize the signs of over-consumption. When any of the above red flags rear their head, it is time to let your body have a break. If you are feeling particularly poorly or fatigued, you must take action to avoid serious consequences.
Stop Drinking Coffee Immediately
The absolute first step is to put down your cup and stop drinking. Pour it down the sink and say your goodbyes. There is no point prolonging your suffering by kidding yourself into thinking that finishing the cup can’t possibly make you feel any worse. It can, and it will, so put it down. Remember, it isn’t just the coffee drink that puts caffeine into your system. Caffeine is also present in:
- Dark chocolate
- Tea
- Energy drinks
- Certain soft fizzy drinks
- Some desserts
All of these highlighted above have traces of caffeine and will only exacerbate your symptoms so leave them well alone too.
Understand the Time Frame
If you need to know how to dilute caffeine in the body, mind, and soul, you also have to know how long it takes. It can take a full ten hours to rid your inner systems completely. That means ten whole hours of zero intake to be 100% in the clear. The average cup can be felt fairly instantly, with most side effects presenting themselves around half an hour after the first sip. This is all subject to the type of bean, strength, and quantity consumed in comparison to the height and weight of the drinker.
A Tall Glass of Water
Drinking a pint of water is the fastest way how to neutralize caffeine in body systems and functions. There is no beverage more supreme than water for human beings. It neutralizes, refreshes, and replenishes. Coffee, despite being a drink, is adept at causing dehydration. This is one of the root causes of major distressing symptoms brought on by ingesting a high amount. Therefore, water not only counteracts this but also ensures that you don’t end up seriously ill from the effects of dehydration too.
Eat Something
Eating some food can help slow and soften any side effects you may be experiencing. The best kind of food to look for is something that has a heavy fiber content as these types aid digestive issues and make you feel fuller. It is also worth trying magnesium or potassium-rich food sources like bananas as these have been known to help restabilize and lessen the effects of caffeine as well. It is worth noting that the act of eating alone will not do a single thing to help you feel better if you don’t also stop drinking coffee.
Tackle the Anxiety
Anxiety is a very real, scary symptom of too much coffee in your body. Aside from the general jitters and dizziness, your mind can race at the thought that something is wrong. If you are naturally prone to anxious episodes, coffee will only make these worse. To avoid becoming too overwhelmed and therefore spiralling further, have some tactics at hand to deal with the stresses caused by anxiety as a result of over-indulging with the coffee pot.
Deep Breathing
Long, slow and purposeful breaths in and out for a set amount of time (usually a minute on, a minute off) will help. It situates the mind in a position where it can reconnect with reality, and what is around you. It is a method for re-grounding yourself and enabling the brain to re-engage. Set a timer or count in your head as having a clear timeframe to work with you is highly encouraging and helps you moderate the breaths as you move through the cycle of healing.
Connect Your Senses
The biggest, most effective trick to tackle anxiety head-on is to remind your body how to feel things. A part of an anxious episode is often complete dissociation. This means you lose focus and essentially blank out vital sounds, sights, and feelings. Feel your way through this by reconnecting your senses with reality.
- Touch something hot or cold like a cool wall or your stomach. This feeling alone will stir something inside you and help you refocus.
- Hold out your hand in front of your eyes and methodologically count each finger out loud, wiggling them as you go.
- Smell something strong like a spice jar, soap, or perfume (carefully, of course).
- Take a big, cold drink with ice in it.
- Eat a bar of chocolate, or something equally chewy. The act of mastication can regulate your senses beautifully.
Do Something Silly
Regardless of your age, doing something silly will kickstart you into laughing or spark a dopamine response. These two things will naturally counteract anxiety. Sing a song in a funny voice or jump up and down on the spot. Listen to a good joke or shout loudly into the abyss. Any of these actions will remind you where you are and channel your energy in an alternate direction.
Move About
People drink coffee for a jolt of energy. When you drink too much, it stands to reason that you may experience a buildup of this energy which then triggers unwanted symptoms like jitters, and general restlessness or unease. Take a walk, run around or start moving in some form or another. This method will physically remove some of that pent-up energy you could be feeling and directly deplete your resources.
Meditate and Refocus
Meditation is a great way to refocus negative energy. It not only helps the mind to come back to earth but has fantastic results for physical relaxation as well. Try some gentle mantras and affirmations to re-find positive nuances and fight against the potential harm that coffee has done to your body. This is a case of mind over matter here, and while it will have no real effect on removing caffeine from your system, it will help your mind to overcome the associated struggles of doing so.
When the coffee shakes set in, there is a need to focus your mind elsewhere. Meditation is an impactful way to achieve this. Whether it is through slow-moving yoga or focusing on breathing techniques, the key is to reposition energy into something manageable. It can create a better, more healthy concentration approach in the mind and help nurture the parts of you that have been compromised.
Caffeine serves a purpose and is an enjoyable beverage, but only in moderate amounts. When you drink too much of it, it can cause a ripple effect of negative consequences that are hard to cancel out. It can be anxiety-inducing and cause a visceral array of symptoms that provoke real fear and physical harm too. It is always essential to stop drinking straight away when you start to feel any hint of danger, because coffee, while a wonderful drink, can kill you if you ignore the signs.
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