National Caffeine Awareness Month

According to National Geographic, 90 percent of American adults have at least one caffeinated drink a day.

DECATUR, Il. (WAND) -- We all have days where we depend maybe too much on caffeine -- but at least it does provide helpful things for our bodies.

"There are anti-oxidants that protect our bodies from outside toxins that can be found in coffees and teas — green tea especially. 1-2 cups a day can actually be very helpful for your blood pressure," Gayle Jennings, a registered dietician at SIU Family Medicine said. 

But at what point do you reach where too much caffeine has been consumed for one day?

Dietary guidelines say that 3-to-5 8-ounce caffeinated drinks per day is a healthy balance. After that is when the dangerous side effects begin to kick in.

"Caffeine can make people hyper to the point where they have pour sleep especially if you consume it too close to bedtime," Jennings said. "So the recommendation for a lot of people is to give yourself 4-5 hours of no caffeine before it's time to go to bed." 

That's why Jennings suggests finding healthy alternatives to caffeinated drinks to avoid headaches, high blood pressure or increased anxiety. 

"Avoiding this like soda all together -- Just going for good ole fashion water. There's great options for flavored water — you get the carbonation and taste without calories or caffeine," Jennings said. 

But like most things, hydrating with water or flavored drinks over caffeine is a process that takes time.

"Instead of having four cups of coffee, going for three for a little bit and see how you do with that. And making sure you're getting in plenty of water so you're staying hydrated," Jennings said. 

You can learn more about National Caffeine Awareness Month here.Â