Love Swedish coffee? It might make your hands shake

Fika is supposed to settle the day. Then your hands start shaking and the last refill suddenly feels like a bad decision.

There is a Swedish word for that feeling: kaffedarren. Caffeine wakes up the nervous system, and the total amount matters more than how strong the coffee tastes. Cup size, beans and brewing method can all change the dose.

People also react differently. One person can drink coffee after dinner and sleep. Another may feel restless after lunch.

For healthy adults, the European Food Safety Authority says a single dose of up to 200 milligrams and a daily total of up to 400 milligrams generally raise no safety concern. Those numbers are limits, not goals. Even 100 milligrams near bedtime can disturb sleep.

Swedish coffee culture makes it easy to lose count. There is coffee at work, coffee with visitors and coffee because someone asks, "Shall we have coffee?"

If coffee repeatedly brings palpitations, 1177 advises cutting back. Palpitations with chest pain, or fainting, need urgent medical help.

The easiest answer to ordinary kaffedarren is also the least Swedish one: say no to the next cup. A good fika should leave you warmer, not vibrating.

DailySweden

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