Taking care of your health is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Baylor College of Medicine experts have plenty of tips to help you stay healthy. This month’s Health Hint takes on coffee and how it can contribute to anxiety.

While caffeine may help you stay alert in the short term, it is a well-known cause for excessive anxiety, especially for people who are prone to panic attacks, because it tends to be overstimulating. People can also be affected when they don’t consume as much caffeine as they’re used to, experiencing headaches and anxiety. While everyone metabolizes caffeine differently, it is a good rule of thumb to not go above 200 milligrams of caffeine per day, and restrict use in the afternoons and evenings to avoid a negative impact on sleep.”

Dr. Sanjay Mathew, associate professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences