How Long Do Coffee Jitters Last?

How long do coffee jitters last when you have overdone the caffeine intake? Here are some tips on how to stop coffee jitters from taking control and the time frame.

Coffee is the most common and widely consumed beverage worldwide.

From 2020 to 2021 around 166,3 million 60 kilogram bags of coffee were consumed. This clearly shows how people love coffee!

Coffee contains caffeine which is a stimulant. As much loved as coffee is and how many people drink it daily around the world – it does have unpleasant effects.

These side effects are described as “coffee jitters.” So now, how long do coffee jitters last?

Not too long luckily – and we share some tips on how to make them ease off faster.

How Long Do Coffee Jitters Last And Take To Wear Off?

Coffee jitters are very unpleasant.

The effects of coffee can manifest 30 to 60 minutes after drinking coffee and can last from 3 – 5 hours.

It can take 10 hours for the caffeine to clear your body completely.

However, there are a variety of ways you can reduce the effects of the jitters from coffee.

How Does Caffeine Affect Your Body?

Coffee jitters are caused by the intake of excess caffeine in your system. Jitters refer to a physical sensation of feeling a rush then a sudden crash of energy.

This sensation can make people feel unsettled and make it hard to concentrate.

Caffeine ultimately disrupts the circulatory system and can cause several side effects.

Caffeine in coffee acts as a natural stimulant for the nervous system. It blocks the effects of a neuromodulator called adenosine which is linked to drowsiness.

This action prevents the body from feeling tired and stimulates flight and fight mode hence boosting alertness.

This is why caffeine makes one feel more energized. It is the main reason people consume coffee to boost alertness when studying and working.

However, these actions can have uncomfortable and negative sensations.

Let’s find out what some of those are below.

Coffee Jitters Symptoms

The symptoms range from relatively mild symptoms to some really uncomfortable ones:

• restlessness
• insomnia
• nausea
• diarrhea
• anxiety
• increased heartbeat
• nervousness
• dizziness
• sweating
• shortness of breath
• dry mouth
• muscle tremors

How Do You Get Rid Of The Coffee Jitters?

Everybody has their own level of caffeine tolerance.

If you are one of those people that love coffee but easily get jittery from coffee drinking then here are some simple tips for you to follow.

Wait For The Caffeine To Wear Off

As crazy as this may sound, it is the only way of getting rid of the jitters.

If you wait for 30 minutes the effects will start to wear off on their own.

But carry on reading to find out what things you can do to alleviate how you feel.

Calm Down

Calming yourself both mentally and physically can relieve any anxiety you may be experiencing.

Meditation is an excellent method to help clear your mind and calm your nerves.

Do Some Exercise

Exercising will help alleviate the symptoms. This is the most effective method of relieving the effects of your coffee hit.

Jogging, going to the gym, or doing yoga can help you overcome the effects of caffeine.

Exercising will increase your metabolism releasing endorphins. These will make you feel good and boost your energy.

Drink Plenty Of Water

Drinking water is another effective method that will help.

The caffeine in your cup of coffee has more effect when you are dehydrated. Caffeine is a diuretic which means it causes water to leave your body.

Hence effects of coffee jitters will be more severe if you are dehydrated.

Drinking water will help you soothe the caffeine effects while waiting for the symptoms to wear off.

Practice Deep Breathing

Taking a slow deep breath and releasing slowly every 5 minutes can help minimize the effects of excess caffeine.

Deep breathing will ease anxious feelings and calm the mind and body.

Catch Up On Sleep

Not having a good night’s sleep or not getting enough hours in regularly can accentuate the negative effects of excess caffeine.

Being tired before too much caffeine intake will intensify any bad symptoms that may occur.

Sleep is the best remedy – not a caffeine blitz.

How To Prevent Coffee Jitters In The Future

There is an old saying ” prevention is better than cure”.

It is better to prevent the effects of coffee jitters than to try and cure them.

However, here is a list of decisions and steps that you can take to prevent a caffeine overdose.

Drink Less Coffee

This is a tough decision to take for coffee lovers but this can help you in avoiding unwanted coffee effects.

Scientists recommend 400mg of coffee per day as a healthy dose. That is about 2 cups of coffee per day.

If you go above these doses this can affect your health and may cause heart problems.

Drink Decaf Coffee

Turn to decaf coffee.

Decaf coffee is free from caffeine or has much less caffeine content.

Decaf still has the natural flavor of the coffee that you know, without the effects. So you still get the coffee flavor and remain healthy.

Add Milk To Your Coffee

Milk slows down the absorption of caffeine in the body, hence preventing coffee jitters.

However, this philosophy is inconsistent if you want to be totally free from caffeine.

Eat Something With Your Coffee

The body absorbs caffeine more slowly if it is drunk with food.

Drinking coffee with a delicious snack to accompany it is not only enjoyable but also minimizes the risk of getting caffeine jitters.

So go and enjoy coffee with a scone, donut, sandwich, or any tasty treat.

Take L-theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid supplement, that helps relieve anxiety and reduce blood pressure.

Research suggests that it promotes relaxation without the feeling of drowsiness.

It is important to consult with your doctor before self-medicating yourself.

How Much Caffeine Should You Have In A Day?

A healthy dose of coffee is about 400mg of caffeine. That is about 2-3 cups of coffee for an average adult.

Sticking to this will allow you to have caffeine without jitters.

If one exceeds that level you can experience negative effects.

Pregnant Women

Pregnant women should take about 200mg of caffeine per day. That is about one cup of coffee per day.

More than 200mg of caffeine can cause complications in pregnancy. These complications can include a miscarriage and the risk of pre-term birth.

Some doctors may advise total abstinence of caffeine during pregnancy.

How Much Caffeine Should A Child Have?

Children should avoid the intake of caffeine. It can affect their development negatively.

Teenagers: Should teenagers drink coffee?

Teenagers should minimize the intake of caffeine too.

Parents should make sure that teenagers do not drink too much caffeine. As with adults, it can manifest anxiety and other negative symptoms.

Bottom Line On How Long Do Coffee Jitters Last?

How long does it take for coffee to wear off? After half an hour, the uncomfortable feeling will start to ease. But it will take a couple of hours to start feeling more normal.

The total time will depend on how much caffeine is in your system.

Coffee is part of our lifestyle however, too much caffeine in coffee can make us sick.

It is important that we take good care of our bodies and we drink healthy doses of coffee as recommended by the experts.

Coffee jitter symptoms are not only caused by too much coffee but by drinking beverages with caffeine content.

Those energy drinks and carbonated drinks can also cause a caffeine overload. The jitters may hit you just as hard with these beverages.

Everything in moderation is the best policy.

Then we can enjoy our caffeine kick safe in the knowledge that no bad feelings will occur.