Caffeine blocks the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and makes you feel tired. It also elevates levels of blood adrenaline, also called the fight, flight, or freeze hormone.
Caffeine's jittery effects on your body are similar to those of a frightening event. That's because caffeine stimulates your “fight or flight” response, according to a 2006 study, and research from 2018 has shown that this can make anxiety worse and can even trigger an anxiety attack.
Studies have shown that doses of 200 to 250 mg of caffeine elevate mood (Lieberman et al., 1987b; Swift and Tiplady, 1988) and that these effects can last for up to 3 h.
Drinking a cup of caffeinated coffee gives you a boost of energy that can lift you out of a bad mood. It's one reason why we consume over 600 million cups of coffee in the U.S. each day. Research into coffee and depression has found that people tend to experience less severe symptoms when they drink coffee.
The caffeine in coffee can help you focus and be more productive and, in so doing, may help decrease your feelings of anxiety. When people feel overwhelmed they often become anxious. This anxiety can cause reduced productivity in daily activities, such as studying for an exam or performance at work.
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it increases activity in your brain and nervous system. It also increases the circulation of chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body.
Your body gets used to a certain level of caffeine, and then it needs more to feel the same effects. Caffeine may become a coping mechanism of sorts. “I need this to get through the day.” By finding a healthier, more effective coping mechanism, you can improve your anxiety or depression from the core.
Chronic caffeine intake has been shown to increase the receptors of serotonin (26-30% increase), GABA (65% increase), and acetylcholine (40-50%). This may contribute to the elevated mood and perceived increase in energy we feel after a coffee (which makes espresso a handy pre-workout drink).
Caffeine interacts with a molecule in the body called adenosine , which assists with communication between brain cells and acts as a nervous system depressant. Adenosine levels increase throughout the day and help promote feelings of drowsiness.
Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant that can boost mood and energy levels. The caffeine in coffee works by increasing the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which can lead to feelings of happiness and euphoria.
In the brain, caffeine stimulates the release of dopamine, which is another neurotransmitter. Dopamine is responsible for feelings of euphoria. Another reason is that coffee contains antioxidants. These antioxidants work in various ways throughout the body to prevent or repair damage caused by stress and other factors.
Caffeine can cause sleep problems that affect mood.
Some people need to limit caffeine to the morning or quit drinking caffeinated beverages completely to avoid sleep problems. Also, anxiety and depression often occur together, and caffeine can worsen anxiety.
Research shows that in people with panic disorder, caffeine consumption raises the risk of having a panic attack and increases levels of anxiety. People with anxiety should consider avoiding or limiting coffee and other caffeinated drinks.
Interestingly, it turns out there was a reason for that: Caffeine helps the brain release dopamine into the prefrontal cortex, a brain area important for mood regulation. Caffeine may also help the storage of dopamine in the amygdala, another part of the brain important for anxiety regulation.
Regular exercise is known to increase serotonin levels. Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise five times a week plus two strength-training sessions per week can improve mood disorders and heart health.
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and acts as an antidepressant by elevating serotonin and dopamine. It's even been shown in the Archives of Internal Medicine to lower suicide rates. Some experience the mood boost more than others. Unknowingly, many people self-medicate depression with caffeine.
Caffeine also activates the stress axis, elevating glucocorticoid and catecholamine, output along with increases in blood pressure (4). As such, caffeine intake during times of stress may contribute to the duration and magnitude of blood pressure and stress endocrine responses (5,6).
Quitting coffee will improve your mood
If you're struggling with anxiety or feeling overly stressed, quitting caffeine may help improve your mood. You may also find that when you give up caffeine, your sleep quality improves, and you wake up feeling more rested and less groggy in the morning.
Caffeine does have its cognitive perks — including boosting alertness, energy and feelings of well-being — but overuse can cause a range of unpleasant side effects, including troubled sleep, jitters, irritability and gastric distress.
Caffeine potentially alters the activity of two neurotransmitters that are especially important in depression: dopamine and serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter most closely associated with depression. However, evidence suggests that caffeine consumption depletes serotonin levels over time.
These results would be attributed to increased central dopamine release due to caffeine antagonizing the inhibition of adenosine α1 and α2 receptors on dopamine, with a subsequent reduction in brain serotonin synthesis.
“If you're taking antidepressants to manage an anxiety disorder, caffeine can directly counteract the effect of the antidepressants or make anxiety worse,” Dr. Netherton says. Also? Caffeine and antidepressants may also make you more prone to your medication's side effects.