I used to never drink any caffeinated drink until about a year ago where I required constant energy, ideas and movement at the office, so as you can see I have no choice but to chunk a good amount of coffee—until I realized I’m getting addicted to my iced caramel latte. And just like everyone else, I thought I need to be constantly fueling my body and brain with caffeine in order to keep going—but that’s not real energy.
Bad news to coffee lovers: caffeine doesn’t actually give us energy in the first place. It’s an adenosine-receptor antagonist. What this means is that caffeine dulls our response to sleepiness, making us forget that we are tired, and so we feel stimulated and alert. While this is a biohack all on its own, it’s dangerous to become addicted, as caffeine has a negative effect on our sleep quality.
So, in order to live optimally healthy lives, we must do it in the healthiest way possible. There are practices that are really just part of a healthy, realistic lifestyle as our bodies intended (without having to drink two cups of coffee everyday).
1. Keep Your Body Hydrate With Water
When we hydrate in the morning, our skin and lymph get a boost. We rehydrate our brain, which shrinks significantly overnight hauling our metabolic waste. Rehydrating our brains and bodies gets us ready for a day of clear thinking—start out with around 32 ounces of warm lemon water and see the difference.
2. Get Direct Sunlight
This may sound funny, but the science is real. Getting sunlight (even artificial sunlight) in the eyes first thing in the morning triggers melatonin production 16 hours later, so you’ll naturally feel sleepy when it’s time for lights out at your regular bedtime.
3. Exercise Your Body & Brain
You can do this alone, of course. Take deep breaths right from bed, first thing. Continue some mindful breathing on a morning walk while getting that early sunlight, and maybe some yoga to keep the morning breath flowing. Yoga is known for an anti-stressor, so you know the drill.
