The Coffee-Eye Connection: A Pattern Recognition Success

 For months, my right eye wouldn't stop twitching.

It happened during runs, meetings, and showers. 

It started as an annoyance. It turned into a constant companion.

I looked up the symptoms. 

Online medical resources are designed to convince you that you are dying of a rare neurological disorder. 

I ignored the panic and looked at my inputs instead.

My sleep, screen time, and diet were constant. 

Only one variable had changed: The Espresso Count.

I had ramped up to three double espressos per day. 

Two in the morning, one after lunch, followed by evening decaf.

I decided to test the caffeine variable. I changed my routine for two weeks:

1. Morning: Two glasses of warm water immediately. No coffee on an empty stomach.

2. Delayed Input: First coffee 30 minutes later.

3. The Cap: Maximum of two double espressos per day.

4. The Cutoff: No caffeine after noon. Earl Grey or decaf only.

The Result: The twitching stopped within 48 hours.

The medical "limit" for caffeine is roughly 400 milligrams (about four cups of brewed coffee), but biological limits are personal, not statistical. 

I may have been operating at or just above the limit. It is hard for me to say how much caffeine is in my Espresso. My double espresso portafilter takes about 15 grams of espresso grinds.

My system was signaling a breach of its specific tolerance.

If your eye is twitching, stop reading WebMD. Check your inputs first.