A parent recently asked me for guidance concerning teen overuse of a legal drug—caffeine!
“When I was young, yes, we used energy drinks to get through finals. But it seems like today’s teens are leaning into caffeinated drinks daily. My own kids seem to think it’s normal to frequently hit a coffee shop. They even asked that we add energy drinks to the weekly shopping list. (We declined.) Are there any effective strategies for getting teens to lay off the daily caffeine?”
You’re not alone. This is a rising concern among caregivers and public health professionals, too. A quick look at the data tells why: today’s teens generally consume more concentrated and more diverse sources of caffeine than available in the past, and the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) notes that 60% of teens consume caffeine daily.
There is no shortage of options for someone in need of a quick caffeine fix. Energy drinks (Celsius, Monster, Red Bull, Jolt, etc.) are advertised directly to teens and contain four or five times as much caffeine as one serving of soda or a cup of coffee. Frappuccinos and other fancy coffee concoctions are loaded with sugar and caffeine.
Well, what’s the problem? For starters, we know that teens require eight to nine hours of sleep per night, and caffeine significantly interferes with deep sleep cycles, making it harder to fall and stay asleep. This often triggers a dependency loop: teens use caffeine to combat daytime fatigue related to a prior night’s poor sleep, often caused by caffeine use itself—the definition of a vicious cycle. High doses of caffeine also impact moods (read: irritability), increase feelings of nervousness, exacerbate anxiety, and can cause heart palpitations as well as dehydration.
So, are there effective strategies parents can use to reduce their teens’ caffeine use? As so often, the first strategy involves initiating conversations with your kids around this topic. This is not to lecture or admonish them, but to learn what’s behind the Monster habit. You could start by asking questions, offering validation, eventually sharing concerns and facts, and together exploring the root causes.
Begin with curiosity: “I noticed you’re drinking a lot of energy drinks lately. What do you like about them?” From there, offer validation: “You must be exhausted, you have so much going on with school, sports, activities, college applications, etc.” Share what’s concerning you: “I’m concerned that your caffeine intake is a lot for your body to manage and it could be (fill in the blank—keeping you up at night, making you jittery, impacting your mood, whatever).” Finally, together explore the root causes: “Could late night screen time be contributing to your fatigue? Is your course load too intense? Have you taken on too much this semester?”
Once you have talked the issue over, you can brainstorm together how they might cut back. Help them identify the daily amount of caffeine they might be comfortable with reducing to, help them plan how to wean off caffeine slowly (going “cold turkey” can cause severe headaches and almost never works), and come up with other energy-inducing coping mechanisms (e.g., high-energy music, crisp autumn air, nutritious snacks, etc.).
Your concern is valid. Many teens are relying on caffeine to get through their intense days, but it can easily mess with their body’s health and rhythms, especially sleep. They need support to make some changes, and will likely feel better once they do. So, go ahead and start the conversation. And don’t forget to model good caffeine habits yourself, as well!
Lisa Gibalerio, MPH, is the author of the Ask Lisa column, where she answers questions from parents about how to navigate the teen and preteen years. Lisa oversees the Belmont Wellness Coalition, a program of Wayside Youth & Family Support Network. The advice provided in this column is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional care.
If you have a question for Lisa, send it to: asklisa@belmontvoice.org.
