Why does caffeine make me happy and energetic again when I’m down, but can it also make me feel restless?

Answer

~~Caffeine acts on the central nervous system. This is a very complex system with many different nerve centers and chemicals (neurotransmittors). As a result, many things have not yet been unraveled.

From observations we see that caffeine mainly acts on the strengthening of the sympathetic surgeon with effects such as extra vigilance, alertness and this mainly due to the methylxanthine structure. This gives you possible symptoms such as insomnia, an extra mental boost, an increased concentration, … but these effects remain very limited and very person-dependent. Possible adverse effects of this extra stimulation are heart palpitations and slightly less blood flow in the brain (you see a more or less similar effect with migraine, a pressure on the brain).
In other words, caffeine gives us an extra stimulus to wakefulness (uplifting) and not so much a good feeling (happy). Certain substances in PEP drinks (Red Bull genre) work in the same way but also have the same adverse effects. To the effect of a good feeling, research is mainly done into the effect and stimulation of serotonin (one of the neurotransmitters). Chocolate, but also fats and sugars could enhance the serotonin feeling, in addition to many other possible substances. There is currently a lot of research into this. There are also drugs such as antidepressants that work by making serotonin work longer.

Creating a good feeling is re-working on the complex functioning of the brain, which is not really known yet and is highly dependent on the person. Many resources can give this effect both visually, auditory (music versus rest), smells, memories, … Certain plant substances and herbs can have a relaxing effect, such as valerian and passiflora. Others like St. John’s wort act as a (weak) antidepressant.