Coffee Buzz Part One: Gotta Have It

Like one third of all workers I need my morning coffee or I feel useless the rest of the day. A recent study by Dunkin Doughnuts and CareerBuilder discovered coffee is keeping people going as they work late hours and longer shifts.

Younger employees ages 18-24 are especially fond of the brew and tend to treat themselves for a job well done with a cup of coffee. Most coffee drinkers have a second cup at least and they don’t have to go far to find it. Three out of four coffee connoisseurs travel less than a quarter mile to purchase their percolation of preference.

The survey also listed the top occupations of workers with the heaviest habits to be:

1. Nurses


2. Physicians


3. Hotel workers


4. Designers/architects


5. Financial/Insurance sales representatives


6. Food preparers


7. Engineers


8. Teachers


9. Marketing/Public relations professionals


10. Scientists


11. Machine operators


12. Government workers

Not surprisingly doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals rely most heavily on the pick-me-up perks of keeping their cups fresh. Because of this healthcare workers especially need to be aware of how much they are drinking and their routine is turning into a socially acceptable addiction.

I’ll admit it, “Hi, my name is Heather,” I’ve been addicted to coffee. If I missed my morning cup a couple of days I developed an all encompassing migraine. I’d get irritable and sluggish. I was having health problems I didn’t know where they were coming from but didn’t connect it with the coffee.

Some unsuspected side effects of over indulging in coffee can be:

• Increased stomach acid possibly leading to ulcers and acid reflux


• Diarrhea


• High blood pressure


• Aggravated diabetes


• Nervous system issues such as dizziness, restless legs, anxiety


• Susceptibility to cancer

While coffee is known to increase mental speed for tasks like typing and math, it actually decreases motor co-ordination making it more difficult to do things like write or drive. So the momentary rush of productivity might be compromising the quality of the overall effort.

If you think you might be addicted and coffee is compromising your health, follow up next week with some helpful hints to break the habit and healthy alternatives to being a java junkie.

Are you looking for a job in Healthcare? Be sure to visit HealthcareJobsite.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer, business owner and a work-from-home mom.