How Much Coffee Is Too Much? The Answer May Lie In Your Chapped Lips

Let's face it: People love their beloved brew. So much so, that it tends to dominate plenty of conversation in the well-being space. Most of the health-related questions about coffee dance around Is it good for you? and How much is too much? (answer: It depends, and everyone's body can handle different amounts). But according to gastroenterologist Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., MSCI, there is a quick and easy way to decipher exactly when enough is enough.

So check your lips first thing in the a.m. Are they soft and moisturized—or chapped and flaky? If you suffer from the latter, dehydration may very well be at play. In addition to slapping on a moisturizing lip mask, you might want to reflect on your water habits. If you're one to wake up and instantly grab for the French press, Bulsiewicz says you might want to cut back. He certainly takes note of his own caffeine intake: "If I notice my lips starting to get dry, that tells me I'm pushing the coffee more than I should," he shares.  

And that morning check-in is key: When you're sleeping, you're not drinking any water for eight or some hours (not to mention, you lose water through your skin while you sleep). When you wake up, instead of hydrating first thing in the morning—with two full glasses of water, as Bulsiewicz recommends—you might sleepily pour yourself a strong cup of coffee, which may give you a much-needed jolt of energy, sure, but your body may pay the price: "When you're dehydrated and the first thing you grab is coffee, that dehydrates you even further," Bulsiewicz says.