As college students, it seems like “always tired” is a pretty reasonable assumption to make about most of us. With too little time in the day that needs to be reserved for classes, studying, and homework, not to mention other social activities and extracurricular engagements, sleeping often gets put on the backburner. It’s all too easy for us to want to turn to energy drinks, coffee, and other caffeine sources to solve our sleep deprivation struggles or even as a replacement for a long-forgotten meal.
However, after my own recent caffeine consumptions, I started to realize that even after consuming 200 milligrams of caffeine in energy drinks, there was still no noticeable difference in my energy levels… and this is a lot more common than we think.
Why is this? Are we all collectively consuming so much caffeine that we don’t feel its full effects anymore? If so, what keeps us drinking it? Is it a placebo effect that gives us just enough motivation to get through the day? I did some searching to answer these questions and here’s what I found out.
*Although I will be citing some medically associated articles like WebMD and AddictionHelp, please note that this article is not meant to be taken as medical advice. These are some of my own opinions and observations based on my experiences and other readily-available online resources :)
reason 1 why caffeine might not give you energy: You’ve Built Up a Tolerance
According to AddictionHelp and The University of Florida, roughly 28% of people have a caffeine dependence, meaning it’s difficult to impossible for them to function without consuming it.
Furthermore, in terms of sheer consumption, AddictionHelp and the Institute of Medicine in Washington, DC say that, on any given day, 85.8% of college-aged adults (ages 18-24) are consuming caffeine.
This is a truly staggering number. Statistically speaking, if you walked into any class on campus and pulled ten students, the odds are that eight to nine of those ten students have already consumed caffeine that day or will consume it before the day is over.
Our reliance on caffeine as college students and young people could easily be causing you to experience a dependency or tolerance of caffeine without even being aware of it. This ultimately would mean your energy drinks aren’t working on you, hence why this is the first reason caffeine may not be giving you energy.
Reason Number 2 Why Caffeine Might Not Give You Energy: You’re Dehydrated
We’re all constantly told that we should be drinking more water, and deep down we all know it’s definitely true. Regardless of how much water you do drink, though, caffeine itself is dehydrating. If you also enjoy sweeter caffeinated drinks like flavored coffee or caffeinated tea, you’re combining the naturally dehydrating caffeine with another dehydrating agent: sugar.
I would venture to say that we are all guilty of wanting a fun drink to help us get through the day, even if it’s not caffeinated. But consuming too much sugar causes dehydration, which then causes your body to not be able to function properly, effectively slowing you down and making you less productive in the long run. When your body is moving slower, caffeine can’t give any excess of energy; it can only bring your energy levels back to where they were before.
Reason Number 3 Why Caffeine Might Not Give You Energy: The Timing
Even on the days you don’t consume caffeine, you probably notice there are times throughout the course of the day during which you’re more tired, or more alert. Our body functions on a natural, daily “internal clock,” AKA your circadian rhythms, and it’s actually surprisingly difficult to break free from the awareness cycle your body goes through.
In terms of caffeine, this means that sometimes your circadian rhythms can’t be overridden. Dejittr says that if you’re at a point in the day where your body already feels awake and energized, caffeine consumption probably isn’t going to make a huge difference in your energy levels because you’re function near your peak everyday awareness capacity.
This also goes for the other way around. If your body is feeling tired at certain points in the day and you drink caffeine to counteract your tiredness, it’s possible your natural exhaustion cycle can’t be overridden. This means that, no matter how desperately you need to wake yourself up before that 8am, caffeine still might not make you feel awake if that’s a naturally tired time for you.
Reason Number 4 Why Caffeine Might Not Give You Energy: Underlying Medical/Mental Health Conditions
This last reason may be surprising, but learning about this reason was what motivated me to write this article. Sometimes, people experiencing certain medical conditions, namely hyperactivity disorders such as ADHD, may not feel the effects of caffeine.
WebMD says that, while there hasn’t been much research done on the subject, it is well-known that caffeine is a stimulant. Other stimulants such as Adderall are often prescribed to individuals with ADHD because of their ability to make those who experience hyperactivity feel more focused. Hence, many researchers believe that caffeine could be serving as a treatment of hyperactivity to those who drink it and don’t feel energized.
Although this is, again, mostly speculative in terms of definitive research, it is also believed that caffeine could eventually be developed into a very effective medical treatment of ADHD and other hyperactivity conditions.
