You May Be Able To Use Coffee To Alleviate Mild Pains And Stress

I woke up this morning to the slow onset pressure of the neck pain that comes from sleeping in just the wrong position. Now if you’re like me, you just kind of power through it, and curse your body for betraying you over a mildly wrong sleeping position. Well if you’re trying to get rid of that morning ache, the answer was right in front of you all along! It’s exactly what you were hoping: coffee.

Although the effects have really only been tested in sleep-deprived mice, according to Robert Schmerling, MD, coffee can act as a pain reliever. And while it may seem unbelievable, a jolt of Java can actually keep you calm. “The caffeine in coffee mimics anti-stress hormones like progesterone,” notes physiologist and health expert, Dr Ray Peat, PhD. Dr Peat does caution that people should avoid excessive amounts of coffee and enjoy it with either a meal or cream and sugar in order to prevent feeling shaky. I would argue that there is no such thing as an excessive amount of coffee, but that’s just me.

Have you noticed any pain-relieving effects from coffee? How much do you drink per day?