HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR CAFFEINE TO WORK?
(To the tune of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”)…
“Caffeine, caffeine, caffeine, CAAAAAAFFEINE, please don’t fail me, I don’t think I can….” So it turns out you’re not the Little Engine That Could, and maybe you’re singing this over your piping hot mug, begging the java gods to save you in time for the job interview that begins in exactly 17 minutes. And you catch a glimpse of your bloodshot eyes in the mirror and hope they will miraculously clear in 17 minutes as well. As it turns out, celebrating a new job with bottomless mimosas at Sunday brunch should happen the Sunday after you actually land the job, not the day before the interview. Facepalm! If you’re wincing because this scenario hits a little too close to home, you know what it’s like to desperately await the boosting power of your daily caffeine intake. But we don’t always need it to recover from overindulgence: some of us need it after a sleepless night with a newborn. Others guzzle three cups before a long drive to a family reunion (now with 13 extra bathroom stops), and many of us simply require a morning cup of coffee before interacting with any other humans. Period. When it comes to caffeine, you might say it’s an art rather than a science, as we all react to its effects in our own way. Some of us can drink a cup of coffee before bed and still sleep soundly, while others transform into the energizer bunny after three sips. However, caffeine comes with some general guidelines that apply to most people, so we’ll dig into what you can expect when consuming your daily jolt. So, just how long does it take for caffeine to work?
What Happens When Caffeine Enters Our Bodies
Caffeine acts as a stimulant to our body’s central nervous systems. It is a stimulant that when used in moderation can produce the desired results, but when overused it can backfire on us. If you’ve had the “coffee jitters” you know exactly what we mean. Once caffeine reaches your brain, you will instantly feel alert and more energized. In most cases, the peak “high” of alertness associated with caffeine will occur within an hour of it entering the bloodstream. But even if you think the effects of your caffeine consumption have worn off, they will remain there for 4-6 hours. This is why you may find yourself exhausted and still struggling to sleep if you had your last cup at 5 p.m. The caffeine is still working its magic (well perhaps it doesn’t feel so magical at bedtime) when you are counting sheep and climbing the walls, desperate for a good night’s rest. Any time you overdo it with caffeine, you may end up with symptoms such as:
- The caffeine “jitters” and shaking
- High blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Upset stomach
- Inability to sleep
- Anxiety and irritability
And strangely enough, many of us experience these effects and still go back for more. Maybe we fear the withdrawal symptoms would be even worse.
How to Make Caffeine Work for You
Some of you avoid caffeine altogether, and we salute you for your sacrifice. Maybe you wake up naturally happy, singing like Cinderella as tiny animals scurry around you, whistling a jaunty tune. But for the rest of us, coffee drinkers—the ones who resemble something more akin to the wicked stepmother in the morning—caffeine is a necessary evil. At this point, we want to introduce you to caffeine’s fairy godmother: CBD. Maybe you’ve tried every flavored creamer on the market, and perhaps you consume every pumpkin-spiced coffee you can get your hands on each fall. You may switch to iced coffees in the dog days of summer, and some of you have tried every single green tea in your city (hopefully not all in one sitting, though!). But in search of the perfect caffeinated beverage, you may have been overlooking the ingredient you never even knew you needed: CBD oil. A few drops of CBD in your coffee is nothing short of a magic potion from the fairy godmother’s wand: just like it transformed Cinderella into the belle of the ball, it will turn your coffee into a blissful “jitter-free” zone.
CBD and Coffee: The Magic Behind the Potion
CBD users swear by its ability to provide the “relaxation” associated with cannabis minus the mind-altering effects or the “high” produced by another cannabis compound, THC. In this way, CBD is perfectly paired with coffee as it eliminates the unwanted jitters while allowing the caffeine to still work its magic in keeping you alert and focused. The unpleasant side effects of caffeine are easily mitigated by the addition of safe and all-natural CBD, and this is why you have inevitably heard about CBD-infused coffee popping up everywhere from local coffee shops to the shelves of major stores. Everyone in the coffee industry is paying close attention to this growing trend, with the CBD industry predicted to reach the billion-dollar mark in the coming years. But even if CBD-infused coffee hasn’t made its way to your town, you can easily make your own at home. Adding a few drops of high-quality CBD oil to your morning cup can make a huge difference in your daily routine, and once you try CBD coffee you’re bound to discover why so many people swear by it.
Final Thoughts: CBD and Your Health
When it comes to your overall health, whether it means managing your caffeine (and CBD) intake or any lifestyle changes at all, it’s always best to keep an open dialogue with your doctor. Anecdotal evidence points to CBD’s healing properties working well for a variety of health-related concerns, and if you want to address specific ones, discuss them with your doctor who can advise the best course of action for you.