Photo by Chevanon Photography from Pexels You stumble into the kitchen and make your first cup of coffee after groggily waking up and adjusting your eyes to the light. The aroma of a superb dark roast may reach you first, and then you take your first taste, which is followed by a "ahhhhh." Your day begins out with that lovely, aromatic beverage in your cup while you continue with the remainder of your morning ritual.
But have you ever questioned if your daily cup of coffee is truly causing you to feel anxious or depressed? If so, this post has some solutions for you.

We've developed a coffee obsession as a society, consuming it for energy, enjoyment, relaxation, as a treat, and socializing. It should go without saying that the coffee addiction may cause dangerous dependencies. How else can we maintain our energy while taking care of ourselves along the road to do what we need to do and want to achieve in life?

So, let's talk about coffee, anxiety, and depression in more detail.

Depression and coffee

There is a lot of fascinating study on coffee and depression. It turns out that coffee is even associated with a lower suicide rate and may even be a protective factor against depression. For coffee drinkers and people who struggle with depression or suicidality, it is a really wonderful discovery!


In fact, research have covered this quite intriguing conclusion. But before we get too enthusiastic, let's stop and make a few clarifications. Although this provides us with some proof, it's always essential to remember that everyone of our bodies responds differently to various surroundings, events, or drugs, and there are many factors at play, so nothing is 100% certain. Nevertheless, it is unquestionably a good signal!


The respondents' and control groups' general lifestyles, as well as a very significant factor—whether the coffee they were drinking was caffeinated or decaffeinated—are some of the factors to take into account in these studies. This is because much of the study is unclear. There is still still work to be done, but that is positive!

That's not all, however. Coffee, which is often associated with bad habits, was unusually removed off the WHO's list of carcinogenic foods in 2016. Even liver and uterine cancer may be protected against by coffee, according to the WHO. The World Cancer Research Fund and the US Department of Health and Human Services have both stated that consuming coffee in moderation (three to five cups per day) can improve your health and shield you from various types of cancer. They are not the only renowned and respected organizations to make this claim.

It was discovered that depression may not be solely caused by caffeine since coffee also contains other potent ingredients. The three most noteworthy are chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid, all of which have been shown to lessen nerve inflammation, which has been linked to depression. More excellent information!

Anxiety and Coffee

The data on coffee and anxiety, however, does not support individuals with anxiety as much as it does those with depression. It's also not very shocking, but in all of the research I did on the issue, there was something I did find intriguing.

Overall, it was discovered that, if you don't have anxiety, drinking coffee in moderation probably won't have a significant negative effect on you. However, signs of anxiety, such as agitation, jitteriness, and difficulty sleeping, may manifest when coffee intake exceeds 400 mg per day. It shouldn't come as a surprise that among those who experience anxiety, it will take far less to aggravate their already existing symptoms.

However, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that individuals have stopped drinking coffee for a while and then written about how it affected their anxiety, which was later shown to be quite careless. Overall, if you have anxiety, there is a strong likelihood that drinking moderate amounts of coffee won't worsen your symptoms substantially. However, it won't help either.

What Mood Effects Does Coffee Have?

Your body's reaction to caffeine should be your first consideration when it comes to your general mood since, apart from depression or anxiety, this is the most common problem for most individuals and because everyone's body reacts to coffee differently.

While some individuals may drink espresso just before bed and fall asleep without any problems, for others, it may ensure a sleepless night full of tossing and turning! Additionally, lack of sleep makes one more irritable, less able to handle life's stresses, and exhibits other signs of ill health, which lowers mood.

It's important to have a decent night's sleep, particularly if you suffer from chronic worry. If you belong to this group, it could be a good idea for you to reduce your coffee intake or even simply to analyze and assess your own reactions to a caffeine-free period of time.

You should get familiar with your body and how it responds to various drugs and circumstances. A great method to get to know and understand your body and how you metabolize caffeine is to do a little experiment on yourself.

Conclusion Regarding Coffee, Anxiety and Depression

Overall, the study indicates that consuming coffee may have less health advantages for depression than for anxiety, when it is reported to have a neutral or worse effect. A variety of other possible health benefits of coffee use are also present.

Coffee will not cure any mental health issues, even if it doesn't always appear to be the cause of them, according to the varied study, some of which is extremely encouraging (in regards to depression) and some of which is not unexpected (in regards to anxiety). The most crucial factor to keep in mind when analyzing how coffee consumption may affect your anxiety or depression is that it may worsen sleep problems, which are a crucial component of your self-care while coping with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health condition for that matter.

Want to Reduce Your Coffee Consumption?

You may start with a few easy suggestions if you want to reduce your coffee consumption a bit or even simply do the experiment I mentioned on yourself.

1. Make gradual cuts

Since caffeine is a stimulant, you can experience some physiological side effects including a headache, mental haze, and overall weariness. This will persist for a day or two, and depending on how much caffeine you've been drinking, it could even last longer. It's a good idea to be aware of how much caffeine you consume each day before you start cutting down. In this manner, you may progressively cut down by one or two drinks every day.

2. Be sure to drink plenty of water

Cutting less on caffeine, which includes coffee, will likely assist with dehydration since it naturally causes you to get dehydrated. Having said that, it is still crucial to make sure you are getting enough fluids since doing so will assist to lessen the withdrawal's negative effects.

3. Get Lots of Sleep

When reducing your caffeine/coffee intake, you may feel a bit weary naturally. To help your body adapt and recover from the withdrawal, make sure you get adequate rest.

4. Increase your level of exercise

Consider making a little increase in your physical activity. Exercise has been shown to improve mood, which can help you feel less agitated when you cut down on your coffee consumption.

5. Take Down Notes

Keep a little notebook or journal to record your daily emotions as well as how much, if any, caffeine you are consuming during your "trial." Consider how you are feeling, how you are sleeping, and even how you believe your relationships and everyday activities are being affected by your mood and your feelings. You will be better able to gauge the effects of caffeine and coffee consumption if you go back and review your statistics.

Don't Forget

The amount of coffee we consume and its effects varies greatly based on a huge number of variables. Knowing yourself, seeing how coffee affects you, consulting your physicians, and taking into account your own life circumstances are your best bets. Making an educated choice for yourself after following all of these processes may probably alter over time.