Afternoon Caffeine Strikes! How and why not to get hooked…

“Its a habit, I can’t get over it”
“I need to get the caffeine else I will be super tired at 6”
“Its been so busy all morning! Coffee takes my tiredness away”
“..I am going to get a headache!I need my afternoon coffee pick me up”
“I need my afternoon tea with a snack”

We all have heard this or versions of it or been in these situations or continue to be in it. Have you wondered why the afternoon slump is real?

There are six main causes of an afternoon slump: A natural response to circadian rhythms, which typically make us most sleepy from 2 to 4 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. An underlying metabolic disorder such as pre-diabetes or insulin resistance, reactive hypoglycemia, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

While you should consult with the doctor once you have tested positive for any or the above systems, the circadian rhythm is not something you can fight with.
And Good News! Not all caffeine is bad.

So, I am going to share simple tips on how not be a “slave” of afternoon caffeine and the better ways to have it in case you absolutely need to indulge.

To Not Get Hooked On Afternoon Caffeine

Tip #1 Get a good night sleep. Kid you not, most of you aren’t getting quality sleep, get your sleep test at home to know your sleep quality.

Tip #2 Stay hydrated throughout the day. Use a marked water bottle to help you drink water

Tip #3  Eat half an energy bar (I recommend Sakara or Rx) if you aren’t making yours at home and go for a walk or get on your peloton or run in place or complete your scheduled YouTube workout.

Better Ways To Overcome The Afternoon Slump Still Sipping Your Cup-a-Joe

Tip #1 Replace coffee with black tea which has half the amount of caffeine of coffee, or green tea, which has around one third the amount.

Tip #2  Have caffeine before 3pm. Caffeine has a half-life of about 5 hours. Someone who consumes 40 milligrams (mg) of caffeine will have 20 mg remaining in their system after 5 hours.This means that if you have your caffeine after 3pm, half of it will still be in your system after 10pm. The most obvious effect is that it can make it hard for you to fall asleep. One study also found that caffeine can delay the timing of your body clock. These effects will reduce your total sleep time. Caffeine also can reduce the amount of deep sleep that you enjoy.

Tip #3 Per eastern medicine, try cardamom with your caffeine to counteract its effects.

Tip #4 Opt for mushroom based coffee. Its delicious and gives you the added benefits of mushrooms depending on the type of benefit you are looking for eg : Jumpstart your morning, Balance your afternoon or unwind your evening!

And I am off to make my favorite Foursignmatic adaptogen coffee to balance this calm yet productive Sunday afternoon.

Happy days!
-Nishi