Why does coffee make me tired ADHD?
It confuses lots of people with ADHD, why their morning coffee makes them feel sleepy instead of awake. This feeling can be confusing and frustrating. Coffee is supposed to help people feel alert, but for some with ADHD, it does the opposite.
Understanding why this occurs helps people decide whether to drink caffeine. It can also help them find other ways to feel more awake and focused during the day. Additionally, your ADHD testing report can help determine the best course of action.
What does caffeine do to your brain?
The main active ingredient in coffee is caffeine. Caffeine blocks a chemical in the brain called adenosine. Adenosine levels increase during the day and can make people sleepy at night. When caffeine shuts it off, people often feel more awake.
Additionally, caffeine similarly boosts the dopamine level. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps improve concentration, motivation, and enjoyment. Typically, this mixture makes most people feel lively and ready to perform a task.
The ADHD brain, however, does not function like other brains. The same caffeine that awakens other people may actually have a different reaction on one with ADHD.
Why do ADHD brains react differently to caffeine?
People with ADHD have lower levels of dopamine and some other important brain chemicals. They need their brains to be more activated by the outside world to get focused and awake. Each person with ADHD responds to caffeine in varying degrees, depending on factors such as:
- Genetics
- Quantity and tolerance level
- Factors like sleep quality, stress level, age, and weight
- Medications
When someone with ADHD drinks coffee, some of the following things will happen:
- The proportion of caffeine may not be sufficient to make them feel alert
- The caffeine overload might distract a person initially, but in a while, it might cause a crash
- The brain might be overpowered instead of getting focused
- Make them feel anxious or fidgety instead of being calm and alert
This is the reason why coffee can make a person with ADHD tired, foggy, or even more distracted than before.
The adenosine problem:
When caffeine relief is gone, adenosine comes back even stronger than before. This is called a rebound effect. For people with ADHD, this is a very intense rebound.
The person might feel much more tired than they were before drinking coffee. This might become a cycle in which they drink more coffee to feel normal again, but each cup makes the problem worse.
Stress hormones and energy crashes:
Coffee also increases cortisol levels, a stress hormone. People with ADHD are often overstimulated. Raising cortisol levels can be the last straw. Instead of being able to remain focused, they run out of fuel immediately following their caffeine high.
ADHD medication and coffee:
ADHD is often treated with medications such as Adderall or Ritalin. Such medications are usually stimulants. Their combination with caffeine can cause various effects. A few of the frequent side effects are the following:
- Initially feeling super energized, followed by a rapidly crashing
- Having mood swings or feeling irritable
- Having trouble falling asleep at night
- Overfeeling complicated or having jittery legs
A terrible night's sleep makes people feel tired the next day. As a result, to make up for the tiredness, some go for more coffee. If the condition is severe, it's wise to seek professional second-hand help from a psychopharmacologist online for effective medication management. At GABA Telepsychiatry, board-certified online psychopharmacologist consultations are easily accessible, allowing individuals to connect with their psychopharmacologist from anywhere.
Simple ways to manage caffeine with ADHD
People with ADHD can still drink coffee as long as it only constitutes minor adjustments. These adjustments help them to feel less exhausted and have become part of their lifestyles.
Start with less caffeine:
Instead of a whole cup of coffee, try drinking just half a cup. Green tea has less caffeine than coffee and might work better. Small amounts are less likely to cause overstimulation or crashes.
Pay attention to timing:
Having coffee late in the afternoon may make it very difficult to fall asleep. Because of this, you often feel tired the next morning due to poor sleep. Try to have caffeine only in the morning or early afternoon.
Stay hydrated:
Caffeine is dehydrating you. Sometimes, what is interpreted as tiredness is, in fact, the lack of water in your body. Drink a glass of water before your coffee, then keep drinking water throughout the day.
Keep track of how caffeine affects you:
Write down what exactly the result of the consumption of caffeine made you feel afterward. This will facilitate identifying patterns in your condition. For example, you might be okay with one small cup, but the two cups will be problematic.
Other ways to feel more alert:
Giving up coffee that is not working for you can provide alternative methods for speed and focus in the following ways:
- Do a short walk or light exercises at the office or at home.
- Drink peppermint or vervain tea instead of coffee, as it contains less caffeine. Try adding ginseng to your herbal tea collection.
- If you get time and have a place to nap, take a 15- to 20-minute nap.
- Don't forget to get enough sleep.
- Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner regularly to keep your blood sugar steady.
These practices will help to eliminate uncontrolled fluctuations and keep a stable energy level without caffeine.
When to seek professional help?
If you find yourself constantly irritated, anxious, or lethargic due to caffeine, you should talk to a mental health professional, such as a board-certified psychiatrist New Jersey. They will help you recognize the symptoms that may be causing these behaviors and provide appropriate intervention. They might talk about your current medications to see whether they mix well with caffeine, or suggest a new dose or timing method.
The goal of ADHD treatment is not to mimic the working of other brains. The goal is to ensure that the brain understands the scenario and reaches a stage that aligns with its requirements for being well and functioning properly.