I spent a month in Turkey with friends. Our trip was great, but would've been better if we'd avoided these 5 mistakes.

Turkish tea, or “çay” (pronounced like “chai”), is a popular drink in Turkey, and sharing tea is an important part of Turkish culture.

For my first few days in Turkey, I accepted tea whenever it was offered. It was inexpensive and delicious, and I was eager to participate in local rituals.

I was offered the tea at restaurants, shops, and even at the dentist’s office (I was there for a bit of medical tourism).

What I didn’t realize at first, though, is that çay is pretty caffeinated.

Although it varies depending on the strength of the brew, an average cup can contain over 40 milligrams of caffeine — about half of the caffeine in a standard cup of coffee.

Once I registered how much caffeine I’d been drinking throughout the day, I understood why my jet lag was so much worse than usual.