Tired? Try this instead of caffeine
After a late night or on a rough morning, you may turn to the coffee pot for a.m. support.
Many rely on a daily cup (or more) of joe every single day. But what if there was a way to get that same — or better — energy boost without relying on caffeine?
According to researchers at the University of Georgia, a 10-minute, regular-paced climb up and down stairs provided sleep-deprived adults more energy than the consumption of 50 milligrams of caffeine, the amount contained in a can of soda.
In one experiment, study participants completed attention and memory tests after taking a capsule containing 50 milligrams of caffeine or receiving a placebo pill. In the second experiment, participants walked up and down flights of stairs at a normal pace for 10 minutes. The subjects reported greater work motivation and increased energy after climbing stairs compared to those who had simply received the caffeine.
Study authors say the findings are great news for individuals with desk jobs.
Shanon Zajac, nurse coordinator of registries at the Advocate Heart Institute at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill., agrees wholeheartedly.
“I usually step away from my desk in the afternoon to climb a few flights of stairs. I can definitely tell the difference when I don’t get my stair break,” Zajac says. “I feel sluggish, and my work suffers.”
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About the Author
Holly Brenza, health enews contributor, is a public affairs coordinator on the content team at Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her free time, Holly enjoys reading, watching the White Sox and Blackhawks, playing with her dog, Bear and running her cats' Instagram account, @strangefurthings.
