Do you know how many people drink coffee regularly? A lot. In fact, over 400 million cups of coffee are consumed every day worldwide!

Caffeine is the main ingredient in coffee and tea that makes it so popular. It stimulates our brains and helps us maintain mental focus. This can come in handy when we need to power through a long meeting or cram for an exam before tomorrow morning's test. Caffeine has gotten all sorts of bad press lately due to its association with anxiety, addiction, and heart palpitations - but it also has some great benefits!

What does caffeine do? Well, caffeine is a stimulant that increases heart rate and blood pressure. This results in you feel more awake, alert, and focused. Caffeine is what makes that afternoon cup feel like second nature. When you want to take a nap but it's just not feasible, coffee is there for you! This is a delicate balance.

What happens when we ingest too much? For some, withdrawal symptoms start around 12 hours after your last caffeine fix. We might feel feelings of irritability, nervousness, and anxiety. Caffeine addiction develops because it increases dopamine levels in our brains. This means that the more we use caffeine, the less likely we are to experience feelings of satisfaction and happiness without its help!

If you are having issues or if caffeine feels like it is barely affecting you anymore, you may have developed a tolerance. Want it to start working again? Gradually start decreasing caffeine intake over a set period of time. So if you are drinking 6 cups a day, work down to 3. Once your body gets used to this, you should start to feel the effect of caffeine again on those days you truly need the extra 6 cup boost. Always drink more water and exercise to deal with the withdrawal symptoms your body experiences when you reduce or stop coffee consumption.

It’s clear that the benefits of caffeine outweigh its risks for most people, but managing potential side effects and tolerances is important. How can you truly enjoy a good Cup of Joe if you are just maintaining your caffeine levels? We love our coffee, but we also love our Salty Sailors.