Can coffee really make you more productive? Or this a myth?
- Written by Vanessa Davis
Many of us have a first-hand experience of a widespread custom of drinking coffee in the workplace, whether in an office setting or in cases such as shift work in hospitals or factories. Even pregnant women have an occasional cup of coffee. Coffee breaks are an integral part of our work culture, and the saying ‘taking a coffee break’ means taking a short period of time away from work to converse with colleagues, clear one’s mind or simply have some downtime. Drinking coffee can improve your working day in so many different ways, and in this post, we’ll explore some of the most important ones.
Coffee reduces pain for desk workers
A study conducted by the National Institute for Health Oslo, Norway, stated that drinking caffeine before performing pain-inducing desk work resulted in attenuated pain development when compared to subjects who didn’t consume caffeine. Although the sample size of the study was small, the results point towards the possibility of prescribing coffee as an everyday pain moderator.
It can assist you in learning new information faster
Besides increasing your alertness, coffee can help you consume and remember new information quicker. A study concluded that consuming at least 200 milligrams of caffeine (around 2 cups) helps your brain identify new data better. As you feel more alert, you will pick up things faster.
Another study stated that caffeine can have a positive impact on memory formation by decreasing forgetfulness over a 24-hour period. Moreover, people who drank coffee after studying to remember more information. If you have to study a lot from home, drinking coffee from the local cafe can turn into a costly investment. It’s better to find espresso machines (heres a few) and make your own cheap, yet delicious coffee.
Coffee is healthy
We’ve heard it for years. Caffeine stunts your growth. Caffeinated beverages aren’t healthy. Um, yes, they are. Actually, they’re crazy healthy. Coffee has antioxidants, detoxing properties, reduces your risk for diabetes, heart complications, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and even for colorectal cancer. It can also clean your liver, help with depression, and prevent Parkinson’s.
Coffee improves productivity, alertness, and performance
Drinking coffee can aid you to stay focused and concentrate better. It can also help you with that midday groggy feeling and give you a boost. Basically, the coffee does this by acting upon a chemical called adenosine – which is in charge of making you feel sleepy. In essence, as adenosine builds up in your brain, you feel more and more tired.
Since coffee is a stimulant, caffeine blocks this effect and makes you feel alert and perform better. It helps you stay awake since it increases brain activity and facilitates an energy boost. Of course, it won’t completely wake you up, but will certainly lower that drowsy feeling.
Caffeine keeps you fit
A plethora of studies has linked the consummation of coffee with increased metabolic activity. It’s no wonder that almost every commercial fat burning supplement lists it as it’s main ingredient. Although the metabolic impact of coffee isn’t enough to eat away every gram of cellulite, it doesn’t hurt to know that your body is burning fat at a higher rate as you sit at your desk and sip a cup.
Coffee helps with night and shift work
It has been also shown that caffeine increases concentration and alertness in particular situations, such as driving long distances and working night shifts. It also aids with sleep inertia – helping us feel more awake after we wake up abruptly. Moreover, it will significantly reduce your driving impairment without altering your subsequent sleep.
Daily Bulletin
