How Much Caffeine Is Dangerous
According to registered dietician Jordan Hill, the recommended limit for caffeine intake is about 400 milligrams per day. Still, Hill recommends 300 milligrams per day for adults, especially those who may be more sensitive to the side effects of caffeine.
An 8-ounce cup of coffee has just under 100 milligrams of coffee in it, so you should avoid that fifth cup of joe.
Coffee is not the only caffeinated substance many types of tea, soda, energy drinks or bars, supplements and even chocolate contain caffeine.
Each of these items have different, varying amounts of caffeine in them, so if we’re consuming them throughout the day, it could be very easy to go above that 300 milligram recommendation, Hill says.
And what happens if you go above 400 milligrams? The potential for a number of side effects, according to Hill:
- Rapid heartbeat
Long-term over consumption may exacerbate these effects, and heavy caffeine drinkers could experience high blood pressure, ongoing gastrointestinal issues and, in rare cases, death.
Caffeine is technically a drug a stimulant. This means it speeds up the central nervous system and boosts energy levels. Caffeine is absorbed within 45 minutes of consuming, and stays in the blood anywhere between 90 minutes to nine and a half hours. This is also dependent on how much food is consumed, smoking or pregnancy and oral contraceptives .
Concerned about your caffeine intake? Hill recommends these tips to reduce your coffee consumption:
Two Foundational Ways To Have More Energy
We understand most people donât want to sleep more â they want more energy. But the two things are, for many, inextricably linked. And it all boils down to what we at Rise Science call the two laws of sleep, a two-process model of sleep regulation based on the interaction between sleep homeostasis and circadian rhythm.
The two laws of sleep set the stage for the two foundational ways for you to have more energy: bringing down your sleep debt and managing your energy, not your time .
Stay Hydrated With Water And Electrolytes
Did you know that one of the first signs of dehydration is feeling tired or exhausted? Thats right not drinking enough water could be the reason your energy levels are lacking and you feel exhausted.
Because our bodies are made up of mostly water, even small dips in hydration are enough to affect your metabolism.
Stay hydrated by making sure youre drinking enough water and other fluids throughout the day. The National Academy of Medicine suggests about nine cups of fluids a day for women and 13 cups for men.
However, a more accurate amount is found like this: Take your body weight, and divide it in half. Then drink that many ounces per day .
If that sounds like a lot, remember that many foods, like fruits and vegetables, contain water as well, so you can also boost your hydration level by upping your intake.
If you have an intense workout, you might want to supplement water with a drink that helps replace the electrolytes your body sweats out. Forget sports drinks loaded with high fructose corn syrup and additives, and opt for coconut water or water naturally flavored with lemon and honey instead.
Ive compiled 20 healthy drinks that you can incorporate into your life easily!
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Natural Energizers Without Caffeine For Endurance Athletes
A secret weapon that has helped many of our athletes for years is a rather simple supplement with mind-blowing energy. It was created for diabetics who also need a slow-steady release of energy, and the product has been found to provide unbelievable results for endurance athletes who also need slow-steady, powerful energy. Read more about the mind-blowing power of UCAN superstarch, also known as LIVESTEADY.
Improve Your Sleeping Habits
You might think this is a bit too on the nose, but if youre feeling tired, chances are theres something off about the way youre sleeping.
You might have insomnia if it typically takes you longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, or if youre awake in the middle of the night for more than 30 minutes at a time a couple of nights a week . In this case, you should be evaluated by a healthcare provider, but there are other things you can do, too, to improve your sleeping behavior:
- Avoid alcohol and food two hours before bed.
- Sleep in a cool, dark room.
- Avoid electronic screens one hour before bed.
- Create a routine.
This last one is important: On average, you should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, so fine-tuning a sleep-wake schedule can help you create a space so you can pull that off. If you go to bed each night and wake up around the same time each day, your body will start depending on that schedule, which can improve insomnia.
If youre constantly feeling tired, sleep has to be a priority, Dr. Darling stresses.
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Avoid Using Electronics Before Bed
“Using electronics before sleep has been shown to be disruptive to sleep and can result in feeling tired and less cognitively sharp,” Dr. Herlands added.
According to a 2014 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study, people who used light-emitting e-readers before bed had a harder time falling asleep, lower levels of sleep-promoting hormones, and shorter and delayed REM sleepall of which reduced their alertness levels in the morning.
Power Nap When Necessary
This may feel like cheating the system, but it works. If you can power nap for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, you can jumpstart your bodys battery to get you through the rest of the day. Make sure you avoid naps that are longer than 30 minutes and avoid sleeping after 3 p.m., which will throw off that sleep-wake schedule youre working on.
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Energy Xtra By Pure Encapsulation
- Top pick if your looking for natural ways to boost energy without B vitamins
Energy Xtra by Pure Encapsulations tops our energy supplements without caffeine list because it combines an array of adaptogens that have been shown to combat stress and boost energy, making for some of the best natural energizers without caffeine.
With adaptogens like ginseng, rhodiola, and ashwagandha, the body is naturally energized by balancing cortisol levels, but without the uncomfortable jitters and stomach butterflies that high levels of caffeine generate.
We have found phenomenal results in our clients using this product in the morning or mid-afternoon when energy levels tend to be the lowest.
Nothing says get up and go like ginseng! Ginseng has been used traditionally in Traditional Chinese Medicine to provide healthy energy stimulation in stressful environments, and it may even have an impact on improved performance in active individuals.
Its hard to find natural anti-inflammatory supplements like Energy Xtra, but thankfully we utilize a one-stop shop called Wellevate, where you can find the highest quality, most effective supplements on the market for the lowest price anywhere.
If you register using our affiliate link for Wellevate youll receive 30% off all orders for life in addition to $10 or more on Pure Encapsulations Xtra Energy versus if you bought it elsewhere.
Sleep Repairs Your Body
Sleep lets your body and brain repair, restore, and re-energize. As your body sleeps, it produces human growth hormone , which supports good bone and muscle health, as well as slowing down the aging process . Think of sleep as being a way your brain and body can do it’s necessary housekeeping and maintenance work.
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Why Caffeine Isnt Always The Answer
According to theU.S. Food & Drug Administration, its generally safe for healthy adults to consume 400 mg of caffeine a day, about the amount found in four or five cups of coffee. But keep in mind caffeine is found in other food and drinks, including black and green teas, chocolate, and energy drinks. So, you have to account for these other sources, as well!
That said, as the FDA points out, everyone has their own limit of caffeine they can tolerate. And if youre in tune with your body, youll know where your limit is based on how caffeine makes you feel. For example, if you feel jittery, anxious, get headaches, or have GI problems, you might be consuming too much. You might also have trouble sleeping at night if you consume caffeine too late in the day, and that sleep disruption can make you more fatigued the next day, setting off a vicious cycle. As you can see, learning how to stay energized without caffeine is key!
Unsafe Ways That Seniors Over 80 Try To Increase Energy
While there are many different healthy options for an energy booster for an 80 year old, there are also some dangerous ones. Many people will live by their daily coffee fix, but for seniors, too much caffeine can be incredibly damaging to the heart and will place a lot of pressure on the body.
A quick Google search will also throw up countless supplements and pills that claim to boost caffeine. However, these can be very harmful to the body as often customers will not know what it is that they are taking.
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Structure Your Day Around Your Peaks And Dips
Just knowing that your afternoon dip is completely normal â and temporary! â can feel liberating. Even better news? Since itâs a predictable part of your circadian rhythm, you can plan around it.
Take a look at the items on your to-do list. Which tasks require more energy, and which ones are less demanding? By stacking your morning peak with tasks that require A-game focus and energy and scheduling less strenuous or demanding activities during your afternoon dip, you might find yourself reaching for that caffeinated pick-me-up less often.
The RISE appâs energy screen shows you the timing of your energy peaks and dips, which can make it easier to plan your day according to your energy levels. For example, if the app says your morning peak will start around 10:30, you can use that time to do your most challenging work/tackle your most important activities, like writing a detailed report or proposal, or holding an important meeting. And then, you can use your mid-day dip to get some exercise, take a nap, or complete mundane tasks that donât require you to function at 100% capacity. And following your personalized energy schedule for sleep â sticking to the ideal windows of time the RISE app gives you for waking, winding down, and going to bed â will yield the best sleep and next-day energy outcomes.
How To Get Energy Without Caffeine
Caffeinated beverages are the go-tos for many people worldwide. Coffee drinks and teas are commonly consumed in the morning and later in the day when energy levels wane. Though it may be energizing, too much caffeine can cause uncomfortable side effects, including nervousness, jitters, headaches, and insomnia.
The threshold at which caffeine causes distressing symptoms varies from person to person and may change over time. Some people also experience a crasha wave of fatigue when the energizing effects of caffeine wear off. If you suspect that you are sensitive to caffeine or wish to decrease your intake, consider these things:
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Can You Drink Coffee While Pregnant
Drinking less than 200 milligrams of coffee per day is generally okay during pregnancy, Hill advises.
Caffeine is believed to cause blood vessels in the uterus and placenta to constrict, reducing the blood supply to the fetus. A 2021 study found pregnant people who consumed less than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day gave birth to smaller babies.
Drinking a low to moderate amount of caffeine does not lead to an increased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia or hypertension for pregnant people, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found. A study even found that drinking up to 100 milligrams of caffeine per day correlated with a 47% reduction in diabetes risk.
Rev Up Your Energy Without Downing Caffeine
If youre one of the many people who crave that morning cup of coffee, that mid-day can of soda or over-the-counter stimulants for all-day energy, you may think that you need caffeine to get that much-needed boost and buzz. Its no secret that caffeine can perk you up, but it can also bring you down and make you feel jittery, jumpy, nervous, restless, irritable and anxious. Plus, youll need more and more caffeine over time to get the same feel-good fix. Luckily, there are natural ways to boost your energy without the jolt and jar of caffeine. So rather than reach for caffeine by the cupful, canful or capsule, pick some of these caffeine-free pick-me-ups.
Feel Good in the Great Outdoors
One way to get more get-up-and-go is to just get up and go outdoors. Research has shown that spending just 20 minutes outdoors surrounded by nature can leave you feeling more energized. Along with boosting your energy level, nature can give your creativity, focus, performance and health a much-needed boost!
Eat for Energy
Refresh with Water
Put a Pep in Your Step
Wake Up to Power Naps
Avoid the sudden spike and eventual slump of that caffeine fix with these all-natural alternatives for energy to burn.
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Waking Up Refreshed Means Sleeping More
The study also found that people who get more sleep wake up more refreshed than their peers working on fewer hours of rest each night. According to the results, the perfect window of sleep is between seven and nine hours a night.
The team says this is the ideal number for ridding the body of sleep inertia, the inability to shift from sleeping to being cognitively alert after waking up. Researchers add that most people also need this much sleep to remove adenosine. This chemical accumulates in the body throughout the day and leads to the sensation of sleepiness in the evening.
Considering that the majority of individuals in society are not getting enough sleep during the week, sleeping longer on a given day can help clear some of the adenosine sleepiness debt they are carrying, Walker speculates.
In addition, sleeping later can help with alertness for a second reason, the researcher continues. When you wake up later, you are rising at a higher point on the upswing of your 24-hour circadian rhythm, which ramps up throughout the morning and boosts alertness.
Choosing A Supplement With Natural Ingredients
Natural Sleep formula has been crafted with ingredients that your body produces naturally, giving you that subtle boost you need to encourage more restful sleep. When choosing a sleeping aid supplement, it’s always important to find the highest-quality ingredients that provide your body with the resources to do its natural processes.
Here is a peek inside the grade-A ingredients included in Natural Sleep:
Melatonin is a hormone that the pineal gland in our brain produces to help promote sleep. The levels of this hormone rise in the evening to induce sleep and fall in the morning in order to wake us up for the day.
5-HTP, or 5-hydroxytryptophan, is a compound that is made naturally within our body to help produce serotonin. Healthy levels of serotonin promote a positive mood and restful sleep, while also maintaining healthy melatonin levels. Low levels of 5-HTP can leave you feeling anxious, resulting in interference with sleep.
Your body uses energy-yielding nutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to turn food into energy. Vitamin B-6 assists during this energy transformation process. It is also used to make several neurotransmitters in the brain that help in the process of thought and brain development.
The combination of these naturally occurring substances all work synergistically to create a calm and relaxed state of mind so you can ease yourself into a deeper sleep, and stay asleep for longer.
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Unsweetened Cocoa Powder In Lowfat Milk
While unsweetened cocoa powder is typically used for baking, it contains many heart-healthy antioxidants also found in berries and naturally energizes the brain by being a mild, natural stimulant.
I like to add a tablespoon into my protein shakes in the morning for a quick breakfast on-the-go that will not only fill me up but also get my brain going for the day. Additionally, cocoa powder contains some amino acids that function the same as animal protein does in helping build muscle in our bodies.
How Does Sleep Affect Your Health
Most of us have experienced the grumpy and moody feelings associated with a lack of quality sleep. A good nightâs sleep can help you feel more refreshed and alert. It is highly important for the mind and body yet, many Americans remain sleep-deprived due to constant stimulation from our electronic gadgets, obligations concerning work and family, and the stress of our daily lives.
According to the Better Sleep Council, nearly half of all Americans lack the amount of sleep they truly need . As a result, we often have difficulty performing daily tasks, and can eventually feel as though our quality of life has been impacted. Consistent quality sleep has been shown to support healthy blood pressure and blood sugar metabolism, as well as promoting an overall brighter mood.
Having a satisfying nightâs rest not only makes us feel great when we wake up, but also affects the rest of our day. During a high quality, good nightâs sleep our body is able to restore many functions that it relies on such as temperature regulation, strengthening our immune system, and our appetite for food . All of these factors play a role in our constant energy levels throughout the day. So you can see why if we arenât catching a solid amount of Zâs during the night, it can certainly affect our energy levels during the day.
Here are some more reasons to consider quality sleep as it relates to energy:
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