“I normally drink at least three cups of coffee a day,” Berk Calif, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’17, said. “I know I should drink less than that, but coffee and Redbulls make me feel more energetic.” Calif’s experience is typical among college students, especially since midterms are in full swing right now, so students are reaching for their cups of coffee more frequently. Students often crave extra caffeine to get through exam periods, but it might be time to think twice before taking another caffeinated drinks.

“When I want to have a really productive day, I usually have coffee to get in the right mindset because it makes me feel more awake,” Elana Tee, FCLC ’18, said. “Sometimes I feel like it doesn’t actually wake me up and I experience a sort of ‘placebo effect.’”

Calif and Tee are not the only ones. Lots of adults in America rely on coffee, particularly in the morning to start their day. According to the National Coffee Association, 54 percent of Americans over the age of 18 consume caffeine on a daily basis. “There are certain beneficial effects from caffeine,” Jennifer Huang, Adult Nurse Practitioner , said. “They have antioxidant effect and that’s good for your health. A cup or two per day does make you more alert, and it influences your mood.”

Let’s take a look at how much caffeine beverages that students often drink contain. For example, one grande or medium (16 oz), Starbucks hot brewed coffee contains 330mg of caffeine, and a 16 oz Monster energy has 160mg of caffeine. Perhaps students have been underestimating the amount of caffeine they consume.

“Average adults drink two cups of coffee a day, and 400mg per day is considered to be the safe amount of caffeine,” Huang said. “If students are drinking so frequently, it may increase alertness for that day or it may help them stay up for 24 hours but there is a downhill effect. If they binge drink to prepare for finals and they will feel the effects later on.”

Since midterms are coming up, students are likely to decide to increase the amount of caffeine. “I drink anywhere between one and four cups of coffees or energy drinks every day.” Falguni Joshi, first year student at Fordham University Law School said. “During exam time I tend to drink a lot more energy drinks. After finals are over, I try to stay away from caffeine and catch up on all of the sleep that I missed out on.”

Even short period of excessive caffeine consumptions could have negative effects. According to Huang, it can lead to feeling restlessness, depressed, panicked, irregular heartbeats, seizure, insomnia, and the list goes on.

“We have also Counseling and Psychological Services next door that can help students, because people do become dependent on it. We can help them if they come in.” Huang said.

There are safer, healthier options to feel more energized. Something so simple: students should drink lots of water. About 60 percent of human bodies are made up of water, so if they are dehydrated, they may feel tired. Water has zero calories, and it is a very easy and inexpensive way to increase their energy levels.

Also, fruits can give them energy naturally and have high nutrition values. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, “fruits and vegetables are major contributors of a number of nutrients that are under consumed in the United States.” They recommend people to be filling half of the plate with fruits and vegetables. Have fruits such as bananas and apples, which contain fiber and sugars that can provide them necessary energy.

The ideal amount of sleep depends on person’s age, and it varies from person to person. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, adults are recommended to take about 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Furthermore, don’t forget to exercise regularly to stay healthy.

“I would say everything in moderation, try to utilize the resources that Fordham has to help with stress- they have so many different clubs, and activities,” Huang said. Some of the sports and fitness clubs held in FCLC include Basketball Club, Soccer Club, and Yoga and Mindfulness.

“Try to prepare and not procrastinate, drink in moderation avoid binge drinking at all cost.” While coffee is a huge part of many student’s lives, they will be surprised at how much better their mind and body will feel after cutting out the excess jitter.