We got used to the presence of two substances in our life: Coffee, and Cannabis.

No big deal. No eyebrows raised. It’s all around, it’s casual. Addiction? Red Flags? A door for a downward spiral? No, not really.

In the context of coffee, the word ‘addiction’ is often thrown in the air in a light manner, replacing the “I love coffee” with “I’m such a coffee addict”. But it’s not really holding the full weight of the sentence. At least not enough to cause anyone to question its nature as an actual psychoactive drug.

Both are so socially accepted. And are used as part of our social gathering, as a way to connect even. There is certain logic behind it – Coffee, with its stimulating properties, will make any conversation flow and can create a bubbly social scene. And on the contrary, smoking a joint with friends is tuning everyone down, relaxing insecurities or social anxieties. It’s fun and easy path for an overthinking-free night.

There is a very good reason behind why people are using both caffeine and cannabis. It’s a cycle that is beautifully feeding itself. In our day and age, weakened adrenal glands are a norm. Adrenal glands are two small glands, that are a critical part of the endocrine system. They are located right on top of the kidneys and produce vital hormones – including adrenaline (epinephrine), noradrenaline (norepinephrine), cortisol, and aldosterone.

Stress, environmental toxins, overexerting ourselves on a regular basis, inadequate dietary choices… It’s enough to make an impact. When adrenal function is compromised, it can be experienced as weakness, inability to concentrate, lethargy, lack of energy, or on the other side of the spectrum – restlessness, inability to shut down in the end of the day, constantly seeking for external stimulation, and anxiety too. As if we are stuck on overdrive.

Because of these sensations, which we might not call ‘symptoms’ quite yet, we’re naturally drawn to substances that make us feel better. Coffee as an upper, and cannabis as a downer. Depends on the need of the moment. It can really feel like an effective way to enhance our daily performance, restore balance, and function better. However, it doesn’t do much to improve the situation. On the contrary — it is masking symptoms and contributing to further systematic decline.

When we drink a cup of coffee, the caffeine content blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, which as a result prevent the feeling of tiredness. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that builds up in the brain throughout the day, signaling the body to relax and feel sleepy. In the morning adenosine levels are naturally low, and in the evening when it’s time to go to bed, adenosine levels are naturally high. While blocking adenosine, caffeine increases overall brain activity and neuron firing. Caffeine also stimulates the release of adrenaline, which increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow to muscles, providing a surge of energy.

When this ritual happens on a regular basis, the adrenal glands are constantly pushed to the edge of their ability. Imagine what happens to a motor of a car when it all worked up, but you keep pushing on the gas pedal. So that – but inside your body.

And the adrenals are very much like a motor in many ways. We need adrenal hormones for everything from basic daily actions like walking or talking, to proper immune function, clear thinking, sexual function and normal sleep.

When the adrenals are compromised, the body can’t keep running smoothly. A sense of restlessness creeps in, interrupted sleep becomes more common, and the mind feels unsettled. It doesn’t happen in one day — but it’s a steady and gradual road in one direction.

That’s usually the point where cannabis enters the picture — a quick way to calm the symptoms of adrenal strain, like anxiety and poor sleep, as well as the edgy buzz left behind by caffeine.

A cycle of dependency is inevitably created. One drug as an upper, and one drug as a downer. It can feel effective at times, but it’s not a sustainable system. Using a stimulant in the morning and a sedative in the evening, every day for years, can and will take its toll.

Cannabis, unlike coffee, is more nuanced and varied in its influence. Different strains can create different feelings and trigger different physical chain reactions. But the common thread remains: It soothes, it calms, it takes the edge off — but it stays in the realm of symptom management. It might be worth asking ourselves: are we looking for change, or for temporary relief?

Research also shows that THC can alter both the quality and quantity of REM sleep. For this reason, clinical sleep medicine doesn’t endorse cannabis as a sleep aid. A bigger issue, however, is tolerance. With regular use, tolerance builds, and people often need to increase their dose to get the same effect. If use is then stopped, many experience what’s known as cannabis withdrawal syndrome — where sleep problems return, often worse than before. This “rebound insomnia” is a well-documented effect in the research.

Things get more confusing with the increasing amount of positive messages we get about the health benefits of these substances.

Caffeine is praised for boosting physical and mental performance, for its antioxidant content, liver protection, and even for heart health. While these claims may hold some truth in isolation, they miss the bigger picture. That performance boost comes from pushing the adrenal glands, not from true, stable energy reserves. And the studies highlighting protective effects rarely address the hidden cost: overstimulation of the nervous system, elevated stress hormones, and the toll it takes on the body’s long-term balance.

Medical cannabis is commonly prescribed, often with the best intentions — to reduce suffering. More often than not, people are asked about their symptoms (pain, sleep, anxiety, etc.) and receive their prescription based on that. It’s often the best tool doctors can offer, and is also a natural alternative, used instead of pharmaceutical medications prescribed for the same issues. However, a wider context is lacking. That said, in acute situations, like after an accident for example — it can be beneficial.

If you’re currently using cannabis or drinking coffee regularly, you’re most likely doing it because it’s working for you. It serves a function in the balance of your life. With everything said in this post, it’s always best to create a supportive plan to lean on, rather than quitting cold turkey.

One of the most important pieces for strengthening your adrenals is to keep glucose and mineral salts in mind. You see, the adrenals are producing cortisol and aldosterone. These hormones, beyond their roles like suppressing inflammation and involvement in the body’s stress response, are directly tied to the balance of mineral salts (sodium and potassium), as well as glucose in our blood. This piece of information is crucial to understand in order to interrupt the coffee-cannabis cycle.

Once we understand how this works, staying on top of our snacks is a snap. When we make sure to eat something every two hours or so, we achieve two things at once : We give our body real fuel to run on, so no need for another cup of coffee, and by keeping both salts and sugars balanced, we allow our adrenals to calm down and recover.

A mix of fruits and leafy greens will land perfectly. A few sips of a Banana-Mango-Spinach smoothie here and there can go a long way in terms of energy stabilisation. It’s not only the total daily nutrients that matters — it is about timing and frequency.