Women and Caffeine

Caffeine consumption gets talked about a lot, and it can be unclear whether it has a positive or negative impact on our health. Let’s start first with the common sources of caffeine:

• coffee
• tea (non-herbal varieties)
• chocolate or cocoa
• soda
• sports or energy drinks
• some prescription and nonprescription drugs such as cold, allergy or pain medication
• smoothie mixes
• enhanced waters

No matter how you choose to consume it, caffeine behaves like a pyschoactive stimulant drug by arousing the central nervous system. The average person consumes 300mg of caffeine in some form each day (between 1-2 cups of coffee), and it’s been stated that just 500-600mg per day can lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, upset stomach, a fast heartbeat and even muscle tremors. 

The reaction of caffeine in the body can be boiled down to an energy boost, followed by the letdown. It increases the rate at which your neurons fire and triggers an upswing in cortisol (stress hormone) and dopamine (which activates the pleasure center in the brain). When this rush is over, your adrenaline levels drop and fatigue, irritability, inability to concentrate and headache take over causing most people to crave the high again. Caffeine distances you from your natural energy cycles, tricking your body into a constant state of alert.

The effects of caffeine can be as individual as each person - some are able to maintain a tolerance their entire life, for others it may not be an issue for years and suddenly they find it worsens their chronic anxiety or even more severe concerns. One difference we’ll talk about is how women detoxify caffeine in comparison to men, and how this may shift at different periods of their lives. 

Childbearing Age Women

At least forty percent of women in this age group experience some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) including abdominal cramps, headache and breast tenderness. Reducing your consumption of caffeine can relieve some of these symptoms, especially the nervous irritability and breast sensitivity. There is a subset of people who are slow detoxifiers - meaning they metabolize caffeine at a slower rate so it lingers longer, increasing the potential for negative effects, particularly your risk for heart attack. 

Pregnant women who take in caffeine tend to give birth to smaller babies who, after birth, display signs of caffeine withdrawal because the caffeine had permeated the placental barrier. If you are breastfeeding, it is best to stop ingesting caffeine as it becomes a component of the breast milk. 

Post-Childbearing Age Women

Some women find that caffeine affects them different as their hormones begin to shift, such as during menopause. This is likely caused by a combination of estrogen loss and the decrease in rates of metabolism and detoxification that occur naturally with age. Many menopausal women experience hot flashes, sleeplessness/insomnia, vaginal dryness, mood swings and osteoporosis. According to some studies, all of these symptoms seem to be exacerbated by caffeine. Caffeine also speeds up the aging process and brings on menopause earlier in life.

Menopausal women are also more susceptible to bone density loss. Caffeine blocks the absorption of the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin D which are needed to prevent or reverse this condition; therefore bone density decreases as osteoporosis worsens. Women of all ages should be aware that caffeine is associated with risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high homocysteine levels which lead to heart disease. 

So how can you move toward a healthier relationship to caffeine? Caffeine is not an easy drug to quit for some women but there are several changes you can make to ease into less or no caffeine. When you wake up, start with a glass of water and a high-protein breakfast. If you still want your cup of coffee or tea, drink it after you have eaten. Getting a full eight hours of sleep is important for detoxifying but will also increase your energy levels so wake up less tired and craving caffeine. Lastly, this is a perfect time to add a multivitamin complete with essential fatty acids, calcium and magnesium - drinking caffeine depletes your body of necessary nutrients.

Counteracting the Effects of Chronic Stress

Who among us is not affected to some degree by periods of stress and anxiety? Major life events such as a divorce, job change or health issues can bring about a vicious cycle of stress and it’s long-term, detrimental effects. Simply the architecture of our daily lives can contribute to this cycle, and before we know it we’re experiencing not only sleepless nights, poor digestion and anxiety, but a lack of intimacy, joy and creativity, too. 

Cortisol is the primary stress hormone - known for the famous “fight-or-flight” reaction to stress. While stress rapidly increases cortisol levels, removing the stressor tends to bring those elevated levels back down to normal. For example: the holiday season for many people is stressful - there are high expectations around giving the perfect gift, cooking the perfect meal or having an influx of family time with individuals you don’t always get along with. But the holiday season has an end, and usually we are able to feel relief at this point because we know the stressor has passed. This is would be a “normal” stress response. 

For many people, the holiday season is stacked on top of insomnia, chronic fatigue and daily stress, so the elevated cortisol levels never go down which is associated with the following conditions:

• increased appetite and food cravings
• mood swings (anger and irritability)
• impaired immune response
• increased body fat and decreased muscle mass
• increased anxiety and depression

What To Do About It:

1. Manage and Avoid Stressful Situations

Each person will need a different strategy for avoiding their own personal stressors, but backup plans are key to making them work. For example: if your daily commute in rush hour traffic causes you stress, you can choose to stay ahead of traffic and leave your house as early as possible in the morning & in the evening. If your first line strategy doesn’t go as planned, have a backup, such as listening to a favorite podcast which can keep you from stewing in the traffic jam and instead learn something new. Also, practicing saying “no” to additional commitments we know we can’t take on can improve our stress levels tremendously, as well as maintaining healthy boundaries.

2. Emphasize Sleep, Exercise, Nutrition and Supplements

For some, the very idea of incorporating relaxation techniques into their already hectic lives simply adds another source of stress. Instead of trying to control the stress, you can be proactive towards the lifestyle changes that will help ease your reaction and lower cortisol levels.

• Sleep 

Sleep is one of the most effective ways to manage cortisol; as little as one to two nights of good, sound sleep may do more for you in controlling cortisol levels & reducing your risk for chronic disease than a lifetime of stress-management classes. Adults should be aiming for eight hours of restful sleep each night. Exercise returns cortisol to a normal range which will also bring caloric expenditure back to normal levels, reduce body-fat levels, preserve muscle mass, decrease appetite and increase energy levels.

• Exercise

We know that exercise leads to the production of dopamine and serotonin, both of which are “feel good” anti-anxiety and anti-depression chemicals produced in the brain. In fact, researchers have show that 30 minutes a day, three to four days a week can be as effective as prescription antidepressants in relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

• Nutrition & Supplements

One of the most positive anti-stress decisions you can make in terms of your diet is to cut down your use of alcohol, caffeine or any other stimulants. Too much caffeine can send the nervous system from a state of heightened alertness into a state of nervousness and anxiety. As for what you should eat, try to maintain a balance of your macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fat, along with your micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Aim to make as many meals at home as you can, using whole ingredients like fruits and vegetables.

Supplements that are important for everyone whether you face low-level or high-level stress include: B-complex vitamins, Vitamin C and magnesium. If you are struggling with major, chronic stress the following would be recommended for daily use: magnolia, bark, epimedium, theanine, phytosterols, phosphatidylserine, though it's recommended you meet with an acupuncturist or herbalist before starting them.

The biggest take-away from this is to know that having an outlet for your stress can do wonders to lower your cortisol levels - even if you aren’t ready to make the lifestyle changes above. Some great examples are: dance, long walks or jogging, the outdoors, playing or listening to music, acupuncture or a supportive friendship or relationship. 

Feng Shui For a Good Night's Sleep

Utilize January's introspective energy to assess your bedroom space in a new way. Feng Shui is a simple practice that enhances your environment according to principles of harmony and energy flow. Whether you're aware of it or not, your environment - and your relationship with it - are constantly affecting you, and even your sleep. Feng Shui is something that can be implemented with just a few basic techniques, or fully integrated into each space of your home to magnify the energy in each "life area". 

So where to start?

1. Rid Clutter

This first step will feel easier if you consider donating or gifting these items to someone who could use them, rather than simply throwing them away. Examples of things to move out of the bedroom are: any artwork that doesn't bring you joy, a desk piled high with bills or paperwork, and any other objects that you associate with a negative time in your life. Try to keep furnishings on the light side and keep clutter as contained as possible - avoiding storing anything under the bed. This is your first stride towards good feng shui energy (called Chi) in your home. The goal of Feng Shui improvements is to keep Chi flowing gently throughout the environment rather than running straight through it. 

2. Swap Out Decor

If you must have a mirror in your bedroom, drape a sheet or curtain over it at nighttime as our eyes are sensitive to movements. Bright lights keep us awake and can disrupt our sleep pattern. Try to use dim lights with a soothing color and use blinds or curtains to completely block out light. When choosing a headboard for your bed, chose wood as they provide additional strength and support while you sleep. Lastly, there is research behind the recommendation to remove plants from your bedroom as they release more carbon dioxide than oxygen at night. Carbon dioxide has the ability to affect the quality of your sleep so it is best to move plants to other parts of your home. 

3. Move Electronics Out of the Room

For many, it's too tempting to stay up late with a smartphone or TV in the bedroom. Not only that, but many times emotional shows or movies can keep us from falling asleep.  It's been proven that artificial light from electronics wrecks your sleep - instead, dedicate your bedroom simply for getting a good night's sleep. To ease into this new habit, you can swap out your device for a couple pages in a relaxing book. 

4. Change Your Daily Habits

Close the window while you sleep to keep outside city noise and scents - like cigarette smoke - from disturbing you. Closing your bedroom door can provide you with a sense of security which can relax your survival instincts to help you sleep. Lastly, open your bedroom windows during the day at least for an hour to refresh the air quality in your room. We give off carbon dioxide as we sleep and releasing this will help the next night's sleep. 

We spend a third of our lives in our bedroom sleeping and these tips will create a place for rest, contemplation and intimacy. Applying these Feng Shui principles to your bedroom will give you a space to not only let go of the stresses of the day but also get more quality sleep.