Fatigue is something that plagues the teenage world. In a 2013 study, it’s found that people aged 15 to 24 years old reported feeling the most fatigued throughout daily activities. And when people have a problem, they turn to the only thing that isn’t death, caffeine.
Studies find that adolescents are consuming anywhere between 60-800 micrograms (mg) per day when experts recommend only around a maximum of 100 mg.
In a small survey I sent out, every single student that responded said they drank caffeine in some way, shape, or form. However, over half of them said it was from coffee and that they drank it daily. While most of them don’t think it’s manifested into a problem yet, the consumption on coffee alone is getting dangerous for teenagers.
The reasons they drink caffeine vary, from needing it to stay awake to just liking the taste of it. This is horrifying. Kids that are fresh out of middle school shouldn’t be drinking caffeine readily on a daily basis and they definitely shouldn’t feel like they need it to stay awake. It’s unhealthy for their young minds and also for their bodies. I have seen peers with anxiety still drinking coffee or energy drinks just because they need it to be awake in their classes even though it actively makes their anxiety worse and borderline unbearable at times. They are sacrificing their own health, physical and mental, for their academics.
So, what is the real problem here? The causes of caffeine or the effects of caffeine? While the effects of caffeine addiction for teenagers should be more well known, there are some hidden implications behind this need. Students are more tired and need to stay awake because they aren’t getting enough sleep. They aren’t getting enough sleep because they are working, whether that is on school or school-related activities. The struggle to balance school and extracurricular activities in order to stay ahead of peers is getting harder and harder every year. This can be seen as cut-offs for GPA rankings get higher and higher and the statistics of admitted students keep getting more and more impressive.
In conclusion, while caffeine is a growing problem within the teenage world, with all of its harm and risks, the real problem can be seen centered in the academic system itself. Students deserve more sleep for all the work they are putting into school, while they are physically in it and even when they are out.
