Everyone is looking for an edge. If you work in the corporate world, with performance often tied to pay and position, you want to find whatever means possible to get that raise or respect you deserve.
It’s Monday morning, you had a busy weekend, last night you stayed up watching Bird Box or a rerun of Fixer Upper while finishing that presentation for work. It’s 6 am and you’ve gotta get ready for work. As you do most days that end in y, you get that grande loaded with caffeine to make up for all of that lost sleep.
You get to work, you may look like a million bucks but you feel like .37 cents. You walk into the conference room, you’re struggling to get the brain into high gear. Someone begins their presentation and then the questions start flying. Your team looks at each other trying to figure out what to do.
Someone is just zinging the ideas. It’s Jenny. Clearly, her energy can’t last. She’s in the midst of some juice cleanse and you’ve heard about it for the last week. But how do you become the one in the room known to have the best ideas? The reason Jenny is rocking with the ideas this morning is that she is operating on 100% blood flow to her brain. You? You’re right at 60%. Who do you think is going to get this project and that promotion? Well don’t answer that, you’re not operating at full capacity.
You see, that coffee you enjoyed this morning with all of that caffeine caused a crazy chemical reaction to take place inside your amazing organism we call – the body. With all of those reactions, 40% of the blood flow to your brain was diverted to other areas as your blood vessels constricted the blood flow upstairs.
But wait a minute, I thought coffee was good for me?
There’s an old school definition of temperance that is very different than our modern version. It goes like this: Abstain from anything that is harmful and be moderate with anything that is good.
The new definition is: “Moderation… in all things.” Does that include moderation with sexual partners? Moderation with varieties of cocaine? Moderation with which bills I decide to pay this month?
Would people that care about you want you to follow the new school or the old school method? Honey, I’m gonna be home late. I’m just going to have a little moderate sex and do some coke before I head home. Or do you think they’d rather hear “Honey I’m headed home, my friends on the other hand are doing some “other things?”
The same is true for coffee and caffeine. Sure we can tout some benefits, just like having sex lowers cortisol levels but that doesn’t mean I should have sex with my coworker for the benefits of lowering stress levels.
Coffee and caffeine may have some enjoyed benefits but if there are serious concerns with aspects that harm you, do you want or need those in your life?
Caffeine is the most widely used drug on the planet. Imagine if it had an ad like every pharmaceutical drug out there?
Drink that energy drink, coffee, or tea today. You will have a boost in energy. Sleep is overrated.
DISCLAIMER: Side effects may include: Mood swings, trouble falling asleep, decreased blood flow to the brain, increased risk of stomach ulcers, increased risk of insulin resistance, hormonal issues, risk of obesity and diabetes, bone loss, and the potential increase in blood pressure.
The truth is most of us are addicted to caffeine because we don’t get enough sleep. When we don’t get enough sleep, we are then prone to an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, weight gain, increased stress levels, aging, and more.
So try this – challenge yourself for a few weeks to go to bed earlier, stay hydrated and then be the mover and shaker in the room with the best and brightest ideas.
If that doesn’t motivate you, how about some facts about caffeine’s influence on your overall health –
Caffeine’s effects on Women:
Here are a few great studies showing the correlation of caffeine and it’s relation to hormones. If I could say anything it is this – Ladies please consider the effects of caffeine on the precious organs you possess. It’s not worth the risk to you or any unborn child!
Caffeine is associated with increased risk of breast disease
Caffeine leads to growth of cysts
Caffeine and risk of heart attack
Caffeine and pregnancy loss
Caffeine and its effects on infertility
Caffeine is associated with miscarriage risk
Is caffeine making your baby fat in the future?
Men:
Too much caffeine effects fertility in men
Caffeine may inhibit vitamin absorption
For both sexes:
Caffeine drops blood flow to the brain by 40%
Caffeine ingestion associated with insulin sensitivity
Caffeine may leads to bone loss