For many college students drinking coffee is a daily necessity. Approximately 40% of people between the ages of 18 to 24 years old consume at least one cup of coffee everyday. There are many positive and negative effects that come with drinking coffee.
The infographic to the right consists of a detailed list of pros and cons that highlight how coffee can effect your body. It is important to understand what you are putting in your body and the consequences or benefits it has before consuming something. Click here or on image for a larger view. |
|
Pros of Drinking Coffee as a College Student
Increases focus and concentration: Coffee can help students focus and concentrate on studying, especially when you are prone to being distracted. It makes students more productive when it comes to studying.
Enhances short term memory: This can help students remember what their professors taught during lecture. It can also help students retain information while studying before an exam.
Increases alertness: Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant. Stimulants improve alertness and attention. These benefits can help a student stay awake and alert during long nights of studying.
Enhances mood: When students get aggravated from studying or with other students, coffee can help make their mood better.
Helps wake up: A cup of coffee in the morning helps students wake up after a long night. The caffeine in the coffee blocks the effect of adenosine on the brain. Adenosine is the body's natural reaction to staying up to long.
Enhances short term memory: This can help students remember what their professors taught during lecture. It can also help students retain information while studying before an exam.
Increases alertness: Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant. Stimulants improve alertness and attention. These benefits can help a student stay awake and alert during long nights of studying.
Enhances mood: When students get aggravated from studying or with other students, coffee can help make their mood better.
Helps wake up: A cup of coffee in the morning helps students wake up after a long night. The caffeine in the coffee blocks the effect of adenosine on the brain. Adenosine is the body's natural reaction to staying up to long.
Cons of Drinking Coffee as a College Student
Costs money: Most college students do not have jobs, and the price of buying coffee every day can add up. A little over $2 a day may not seem like a lot of money, but after a while it adds up to a lot. Especially if students drink more than one cup a day. The money used on buying a cup of coffee could be saved and put towards paying off student loans.
Bad sleep habits: College students who drink coffee after 2pm are less likely of getting a full night's sleep. Lack of sleep has been linked to lower GPA for college students. If students feel like they need a cup of coffee after the recommended time, they could try drinking decaffeinated coffee.
Caffeine is a drug: For those who drink coffee every day, they can get used to having it every day. This could cause withdrawal symptoms if they do not get their cup or cups for the day.
Can become unhealthy: For those who put sugar in their coffee, this causes the cup of coffee to be unhealthy. Adding sugar to coffee makes it taste better, but it's not really worth it in the end. A lot of sugar every day can cause insulin resistance, which can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Bad behavior: Studies have found that caffeine can negatively effect your behavior because it causes your emotions to overrun it. This could be a problem for a student when writing a paper or typing an important email. If a student's emotions take over they could write something that they would not have if they were in a normal state of mind.
Adrenaline surges: Large doses of caffeine can cause adrenaline surges. This could cause a raise in blood pressure, stimulation of the heart, and could produce rapid shallow breathing.
Bad sleep habits: College students who drink coffee after 2pm are less likely of getting a full night's sleep. Lack of sleep has been linked to lower GPA for college students. If students feel like they need a cup of coffee after the recommended time, they could try drinking decaffeinated coffee.
Caffeine is a drug: For those who drink coffee every day, they can get used to having it every day. This could cause withdrawal symptoms if they do not get their cup or cups for the day.
Can become unhealthy: For those who put sugar in their coffee, this causes the cup of coffee to be unhealthy. Adding sugar to coffee makes it taste better, but it's not really worth it in the end. A lot of sugar every day can cause insulin resistance, which can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Bad behavior: Studies have found that caffeine can negatively effect your behavior because it causes your emotions to overrun it. This could be a problem for a student when writing a paper or typing an important email. If a student's emotions take over they could write something that they would not have if they were in a normal state of mind.
Adrenaline surges: Large doses of caffeine can cause adrenaline surges. This could cause a raise in blood pressure, stimulation of the heart, and could produce rapid shallow breathing.