Caffeine: How much is too much?

Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night. But caffeine can interfere with this much-needed sleep. Chronically losing sleep - whether it's from work, travel, stress or too much caffeine - results in sleep deprivation. Sleep loss is cumulative, and even small nightly decreases can add up and disturb your daytime alertness and performance.

Using caffeine to mask sleep deprivation can create an unwelcome cycle. For example, you drink caffeinated beverages because you have trouble staying awake during the day. But the caffeine keeps you from falling asleep at night, shortening the length of time you sleep. Caffeine can also increase the number of times you wake up during the night and interfere with deep sleep, making your night less restful. You wake up tired the next day and reach for your morning jolt of Java.

The best way to break this cycle is to reduce the caffeine and add more hours of quality sleep each day. Try to avoid caffeinated beverages eight hours before your desired bedtime. Your body doesn't store caffeine, but it takes many hours for it to eliminate the stimulant and its effects.

Try energy supplements instead of caffeine

A great set of vitamins for energy are B Vitamins. They are important in our body's ability to fight stress. Your best bet with B vitamins is to take a B-complex, so that you make sure you are getting the full spectrum of B vitamins in one capsule.  B-12 may give you the best, quick increase in energy, so much so that some people even get B-12 injections from their doctor. Usually, there are other factors in these individual's health however, and you do not need to go to such measures. You can get great results from combining your B-vitamins and not just limiting yourself to the B-12. They are all water-soluble vitamins that help in cell metabolism. Some of the "B's", such as B9, which is better known as folic acid, are vital for women who are of children bearing age.