I Like You a Latte
Whether it’s a simple mug of coffee, a full can of Monster, or a calm cup of matcha, caffeine is in just about everyone’s daily routine. The truth is, caffeine is not just a drink these days, it’s a full-blown ritual. We lean on it to jumpstart our brains and get through that first hour of emails. But have you ever stopped to wonder if it’s actually making you better at your job, or if you’re just doing the wrong things faster?
Most of us treat caffeine like it’s a magical battery pack, but science says it’s more like a master manipulator. It doesn’t actually give you “new” energy; it just tricks your brain into forgetting that it’s tired. Honestly, it’s a bit of a productivity paradox: a double espresso might make you a god at crushing a boring spreadsheet, but it can also totally kill your ability to sit back and come up with a creative “big idea” by yourself. To really win at your workday, you have to understand the high-interest loan you’re taking out on your own body.
So is the energy boost really worth it? As a certified caffeine addict, I took it upon myself to research the complex function of caffeine and explain how we could better manage ourselves when feeling tired.
The Bio-Mechanics
To get a good sense of whether caffeine is truly a “clutch” or a “crutch”, we need to think about the science behind the seemingly magical energy boost.Â
First we need to talk about one key factor that affects our energy levels: adenosine. In simple terms, adenosine is a chemical compound in your body that promotes sleepiness and slows the heart rate. As you’re awake during the day, the adenosine levels in your brain gradually build up, causing you to feel more and more tired. Caffeine blocks adenosine by binding to adenosine receptors. Rather than providing energy like you might think, caffeine actually just prevents adenosine from taking effect, essentially suppressing the “tired” signal.Â
At the same time, caffeine also stimulates the central nervous system, causing an increase in cortisol and epinephrine (more commonly known as adrenaline). These effects lead to a spike in your heart rate and triggers a “fight or flight” response in the body, overall increasing alertness.Â
Pros and Cons
Caffeine has many great benefits like improving cognitive function and focus. It can even elevate one’s mood by stimulating dopamine in the brain. Long term, it has been shown to lower the risk for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Caffeine even has numerous physical effects. It can enhance muscle contractions and efficiency for improved athletic performance. It also helps burn more fat during exercise and increase metabolism.
However, caffeine also comes with its drawbacks. For one, it holds your brain back from creating random connections, ultimately suppressing creativity. It makes you hyperfocused on one thing, preventing you from branching outside the box. Additionally, it can spike anxiety. When caffeine makes you jittery, it can hold you back from fine motor skills and complex decision making. Lastly, after too many high doses of caffeine, your body eventually becomes reliant on it. Your body attempts to build a tolerance to caffeine by creating more adenosine receptors. This means that you become more tired more easily and eventually require caffeine just to feel normal. It also worsens your quality of sleep, making you tired even after a full night’s rest.Â
Optimizing Caffeine
Okay, so now that you know everything great and terrible that caffeine does to your body, you might be thinking “so what?” Well, personally, I don’t think it makes sense to completely cut caffeine out of your system (did I mention that I’m a caffeine addict?). However, I do think that it is important to find a balance. Here are some ideas I came up with to improve your relationship with caffeine:
- Strategic Dosing: Rather than drinking a large amount of caffeine at once, you might instead drink small doses throughout the day. Studies show that 20-50mg of caffeine (for reference, a cup of coffee is around 95-100mg) is actually enough to boost your energy and mood. Drinking smaller amounts can prevent a crash while still fueling productivity.
- Caffeine Nap: I’ve heard about this method through TikTok a few times, but I don’t think it’s as hyped as it should be. Essentially you’d drink a cup of coffee and immediately take a 20 minute nap. This allows you to naturally clear some adenosine while still allowing the caffeine to kick in. This method had genuinely made me wake up feeling like a million bucks.
- Timing: Rather than drinking coffee right when you wake up, delay it by 60-90 minutes. This allows your body to pump out cortisol naturally. Caffeine after that lets you keep those energy levels up during the day. Make sure you’re also not drinking caffeine past 2PM!
Concluding with Caffeine
Hopefully all of this encourages you to be more strategic with your caffeine intake. At the end of the day, caffeine is really just a tool and not a fuel source. You need to be mindful about it before it takes over your life. Your long term health is always more important than that last minute assignment, trust.