Caffeine is becoming a social norm to exceed the recommended consumption amount. At Dougherty, many consider it normal and even necessary to consume caffeinated beverages in excessive amounts.
Celcius, Alani, Bloom, Monster, Red Bull, C4 and more. These drinks all contain around 200 mg of caffeine, which is double the amount of caffeine recommended for people ages 12 to 18. Caffeine is medically categorized as a stimulant drug. It stimulates the central nervous system and increases energy while also increasing the circulation of adrenaline and cortisol in the body.
Caffeine can also be addictive, causing a physical dependence and symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and irritability upon withdrawal. Its drug effects may not be as severe as other illicit drugs, but it’s still possible to develop an incredibly harmful addiction.
Based on a digital survey conducted on Dougherty students, over 50% of students consume caffeine 5+ times a week. Students also believe that caffeine consumption at Dougherty is a culture.
“I think that caffeine consumption is way too normalized at DV,” junior Shriya Sudarsan said. “I think a large part of this is because energy drinks have become a sort of trend, so more people get them just because their friends drink them.”
While beverages like coffee, soda, and tea all may have caffeine, energy drinks are particularly harmful, especially for younger consumers. High amounts of both caffeine and sugar can cause high blood pressure, heart rhythm disturbances, increased anxiety and disruptions in sleep. Teens can also experience a crash and have a significant drop in energy.
There also seems to be a link between older age and increased caffeine consumption. Freshman Vanna Sardana said “I don’t consume caffeine on a daily basis. A few of my friends that consume caffeine generally consume it for fun. However, there’s definitely pressure to be productive.”
However, Senior Maanika Thakur said that, “I consume caffeine almost every day at least 2-3 times a day usually in the form of coffees and Alanis. Freshman year it definitely wasn’t as frequency.”
Students typically consume caffeinated beverages because of a need for energy to stay awake and complete assignments, or to stay focused throughout the school day. However, this seems to be counterintuitive.
Thakur adds, “Caffeine helps me stay alert and awake and push through especially when I have work that’ll be taking me late into the night.”
AP Psychology teacher, Melanie Grossheider said “Sleep is one of the most powerful things we have to improve memory and focus during daytime. It converts what you’ve been studying into your long term memory to be able to use it. Using caffeine to delay sleep is undermining your long term memory.”
However, many student caffeine consumers are unaware of these effects and believe that caffeine doesn’t make an impact on their sleep and believe that it boosts their learning. When students were asked about how they believe caffeine consumption is affecting them in the survey, a common belief was that it wasn’t and that it had no effect on their sleep. Yet, less than 50% get more than 7 hours of sleep per night, 2 hours below the recommended amount.
“Students at Dougherty also generally get less sleep to meet academic demands, and I always hear kids flexing the low amount of sleep they get which isn’t really good,” Sudarsan adds.
When taken in moderation, caffeine consumption can support long-term health. Frequent usage is acceptable in small doses up until 2 p.m. every day. However, there are also concerns about it increasing anxiety for some and causing mild withdrawals, where people feel like they need caffeine every day, even when it’s not necessary. These harmful effects are mostly related to heavy energy drink consumption and caffeine supplements. Anxiety and unsafe behaviors have been associated with these forms of caffeine, especially in adolescents. The increase in caffeine consumption has caused emergency room visits to double for adolescents who have overdosed.
“Students have created a lifestyle that isn’t sustainable in the long run. They have too many things to do and the only way to do them is to use a substance that prevents some of their more typical circadian rhythms,” Grossheider added.
