Many of us think of coffee as fuel helping us survive through the day and boost our productivity, especially in the morning or after lunch, when we may feel sleepy, lazy, and reluctant to move on. And then, suddenly, when we get a caffeine injection, the world around us is changing, and we feel more focused and more efficient; coffee makes us instantly fresh and improves our alertness. Are there coffee alternatives that do the same?
Why, then, not to drink coffee each time when you need a push?
Well, because coffee consumption can have certain negative consequences.
First, it is bad for your health, because its effects wear off soon enough, and you need to drink more. You do, and, as a result, your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, it cannot adjust the blood sugar level, thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Second, it can cause stress and fatigue in case you have to work intensely for a long time, which ultimately can lead to depression.
Third, it is possible to get addicted to coffee the same way it happens with alcohol or drugs. You may have noticed that you sometimes feel irritated and lost when you cannot get a cup of your fav drink first thing in the morning.
Don’t you think it is wise to look for coffee alternatives that can help you sharpen your focus and maintain your level of productivity without harming your health?
Here are 5 energy-boosting coffee alternatives to fire up your day.
Tea
If green tea does not seem strong enough for you, you can opt for matcha tea or Pu-erh. Their flavor may not be to your liking, of course, but you should keep in mind that they are rich in antioxidants and can regulate and protect your nervous system.
Instead of tea, you can also try a cup of warm water with squeezed lemon and fresh mint. The mixture of vitamin C and invigorating mint aroma will help you feel less tired and increase your alertness.
A Healthy Snack
With food, you can get some extra energy, but be mindful when choosing products. Candy containing quick-digesting sugar can really unleash a burst of energy; however, when it is used up, you will end up feeling pulverized.
So, a good choice will be products with complex carbohydrates like, for example, grains or nuts, including almonds, which are full of nutrients (manganese, vitamin B2, copper) able to improve your brain productivity.
Bananas are also known to be an excellent source of energy, by the way.
Your Favorite Music
Dancing to your favorite music or singing your favorite song can improve your mood and stimulate blood flow in your body.
Yet, and it is surprising, scientists found that listening to music you normally like releases dopamine causing a decrease in your concentration. So, if you do not have time for singing or dancing, you’d better stick to a playlist with music that does help you increase productivity, something that you do not listen to every day or which is unusual for you.
Exercises
Working out can both boost your mental and physical performance. It is proved by researches that physical activity on a regular basis increases your level of energy, clarifies your thoughts, and makes idea generation easier.
Moreover, you do not need to spend hours in the gym as even short 10- to 30-minute workouts strengthen your attention and enhance productivity. The effect lasts for at least two hours after exercise.
Deep breathing, stretching, and yoga can also bring you into a meditative state and declutter your mind.
Even a few sets of pushups or crunches will help you perform at your peak when it is highly needed. Running up and down the stairs is a nice option, too, if you are short of time.
A Power Nap
It is not a secret that insufficient sleep lowers your productivity, and you tend to make more mistakes and lose focus while doing some important work.
If you did not have a seven- to nine-hour sleep at night, which is a recommendation of the National Sleep Foundation, a power nap could literally save you. 10 to 26 minutes of sleep will improve your performance and alertness.
A power nap is said to be more effective in boosting learning capacity than coffee.
Prevention Is Better than Cure
If you have the chance to outsource some work – take it! The benefits of multitasking are a myth.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself every day. These simple but useful techniques will help you stay alerted and productive without forcing you to fight for memory and efficiency improvement all the time:
– Increase exposure to sunlight;
– Take contrast showers;
– Change focus from your work to the world around;
– Learn to concentrate on the flame of a candle;
– Drink more water;
– Avoid unhealthy diets;
– Take regular breaks;
– Laugh a lot.
Try these coffee alternatives and see if it makes your day!
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