Why coffee makes you jittery, and how to keep the lift

It is your third flat white of the morning, your knee is bouncing under the desk, your heart is going and you have read the same email four times. If you have ever wondered why coffee makes you jittery, the short answer is that you have probably had more caffeine, more quickly, than your body was ready for.

A few small changes to how and when you drink it make a big difference. Some people also prefer a smaller, steadier source of caffeine, which is the idea behind Peak Hype, our guayusa mood drink.

The quick version

• Coffee jitters usually come from too much caffeine arriving too fast.
• High street coffees vary a lot, so the same order can hold very different amounts.
• An empty stomach, back to back cups and your own sensitivity all play a part.
• Knowing your dose, eating first and keeping caffeine to the morning all help.
• Peak Hype has 60mg of caffeine from guayusa in every can.

Why does coffee make me jittery?

Through the day, your brain builds up a chemical called adenosine, which slowly makes you feel sleepy. Caffeine sits in the spots where adenosine would land, so that sleepy signal gets muffled, and it also nudges your body to release a little adrenaline.

In the right amount, that is the pleasant lift people love about their morning cup. Push past your own sweet spot and the same response gets too loud, with a racing heart, shaky hands and thoughts that start sprinting.

Why can one coffee feel fine and the next feel like too much?

Mostly because you rarely know what is in the cup. When Which? tested high street cappuccinos in 2023, they found anywhere from 66mg to 325mg of caffeine, so your usual order in a different café could be several coffees in disguise.

How you drink it counts too. A coffee knocked back on an empty stomach reaches you faster than one sipped alongside breakfast, and a second or third cup lands on top of the first before it has worn off.

Then there is you. Genes, sleep, stress and how often you drink coffee all change how strongly caffeine hits, which is why your friend can have an espresso after dinner while you feel a single cup for hours. Plenty of people with ADHD find caffeine does something different again, as our guide to ADHD and caffeine explains.

Can coffee cause anxiety?

Coffee can certainly feel like anxiety. A racing heart, quick breathing and a busy mind are the same signals your body sends when you are nervous, so your brain can easily read a strong coffee as something to worry about. People who already tend towards anxious feelings often notice this more.

If those feelings hang around long after the caffeine has faded, it is worth a chat with your GP, who can help you work out what is going on.

How can you enjoy caffeine without the jitters?

These are the habits people tell us work for them:

• Know your dose. A drink with the caffeine printed on it is far easier to plan around than a mystery cup.
• Eat first. Breakfast before your first coffee gives caffeine something to land on.
• Slow down. Make your morning cup a ritual you sit with and sip.
• Keep it early. Have your caffeine in the first half of the day, so the evening stays free for the gig, the dinner or the sofa.
• Try a smaller or steadier source. Our guide to the best coffee alternatives in the UK compares the options by taste and caffeine.

Does guayusa feel different from coffee?

Guayusa is the leaf of an Amazon holly tree, and it brings theobromine, the compound found in cocoa, along with its caffeine. People who switch often describe it as a smoother, more even lift than coffee.

The caffeine itself is the same molecule wherever it comes from, so the feel comes down to the dose and the company it keeps. Our guide to whether all caffeine is the same digs into that, and you can meet the leaf properly in our guide to guayusa.

Meet Peak Hype

Our founder Louie quit coffee and first drank guayusa in 2020, and he has had it every day since. That daily cup became Peak.

Hype is our lifted mood: lifted, not wired. Each lightly sparkling berry citrus can has 60mg of natural caffeine from guayusa, printed on the can, with L-tyrosine and vitamins B3, B6, B7 and B12. That is a little less than a cup of instant coffee, which the NHS puts at about 100mg. It has 28 calories, and people reach for it at their desk, in the studio or before run club.

Try Peak Hype, the guayusa mood drink in berry citrus. Hype contains caffeine and is not recommended for children or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Common questions

How long do coffee jitters last?

The buzz usually peaks within an hour and eases over the next few hours, although caffeine lingers long enough for an afternoon cup to follow you to bed.

Why does coffee make me anxious but tea does not?

Tea usually holds less caffeine than a café coffee, and it also contains L-theanine, an amino acid many people find pairs nicely with caffeine.

How much caffeine is too much in a day?

The Food Standards Agency says up to 400mg a day is unlikely to cause problems for most adults, or 200mg in pregnancy.

How much caffeine is in Peak Hype?

Each 250ml can has 60mg, all from guayusa, which is close to a mug of tea.