What if coffee is the new smoking?

I love coffee but… what if it’s the new smoking?

I know you’re sharpening your pitchfork and preparing the tar but hear me out.

50 years ago and beyond, nearly everyone smoked and doctors even went as far as endorsing certain brands of cigarettes. It was blasphemy to suggest that smoking might be killing people. Until more research came out and public opinion (and behavior) started to shift. I’m old enough to have caught the very final years of smoking at restaurants being allowed and that seems totally crazy now, just a few short years later.

What if coffee today is what cigarettes were 50-100 years ago?

Coffee in 2024 is almost universally regarded as harmless. I’ve heard people cite studies that coffee actually prevents certain diseases and that coffee drinkers live longer than non-coffee drinkers. Every work place has a coffee nook to caffeinate their employees. And almost everyone I know starts their day with at least one cup of coffee.

But, we’re starting to learn more and more how important sleep is to our brains and bodies. And we know caffeine is bad for sleep. It’s entirely possible that in a few short years, people start to understand more and more that coffee is wrecking their sleep which in turn is wreaking havoc on their immune systems and ability to learn and focus and even affect their moods. There are reports that there is an anxiety epidemic. But coffee also increases anxiety so what if we’re really just having a coffee epidemic?

Again, I love coffee. I drink 2 or 3 cups per day and I’m healthy and happy. BUT, what if? It’s worth considering with an open mind.

(I made a Youtube video about quitting coffee for a couple weeks: https://youtu.be/x7-45jWuuwU)