Well, it definitely increases MY productivity, that’s for sure.
Many studies have found that coffee in moderate amounts stimulates brain function and truly help you to become a “coffee achiever.”
And there’s also a new article on Live Science that discusses the many health benefits of coffee:
Coffee may be good for the brain, too. A study earlier this year by neuroscientists at the University of Lisbon showed that drinking coffee can help to prevent the neural degeneration associated with brain disorders and aging. The scientists found that drinking up to four cups of coffee a day over a long period of time actually prevented the deterioration of memory.
And just because those scientists are Portuguese doesn’t automatically make them wrong. (I’m half Portagee…)
The article continues with the many different types of cancer coffee helps prevent, likely due to one or more of the many antioxidants and other compounds in the magic brew. (Many of these studies were conducted by scientists not from Portugal.)
My Drug Habits
I ingest very modest amounts of alcohol, perhaps the equivalent of a glass of wine a month.
I think I smoked some pot way back when a few hundred times, but my memory of that is kinda hazy…
So coffee is my one drug, and I’m proud of it. Good strong cup of organic French roast in the morning to kick off the day, and then another cup of mostly decaf in the early afternoon after lunch and a short nap.
Does Coffee Increase Productivity?
It definitely increases mine, and there’s science to back up the general proposition. But there are caveats:
- If I’m truly tired coffee doesn’t help; it makes me feel worse.
- Too much coffee is counterproductive. It makes my mind all monkey and my body all jumpy.
- Coffee too late in the afternoon interferes with my sleep. That’s why I do a mix of caf and decaf in the afternoons.
- Non-organic coffee can have some nasty chemicals in it. Organic is cheap and readily available. I do drink non-organic at Starbucks and a few other coffee joints, but I minimize that.
- Although there are many health benefits of coffee, there are some risks too.
What Say You?
This is your chance to sing the praises of coffee and share your love of nature’s greatest gift to humankind. You wouldn’t dare disagree me, would you?
Great article! The only thing I don’t like about coffee is when I run out.
There I was, coffee mug in hand, just minding my own business…
When suddenly, there was your blog on the “bennies” (so to speak) of coffee.
I like the aroma, the taste, and those cute little coffee “crystals”.
I usually drink mine black and strong, but secretly I like heavy cream mixed in. I suppose the studies report that only black coffee is good for you, true?
Good to see some humor mixed in with the facts. Keep up your coffee achievements!
Eric, I drink mine with half-and-half and raw cane sugar. I’m drinking right now…mmmmm!
Oh yeah oh yeah heavy cream. Real deal. 1/2 & 1/2 just doesn’t cut it, not really.
One (1) cup per day, that’s all I allow myself. Otherwise I’ll get all spun up and the resulting chaos when everything comes undone isn’t worth it.
Dave, I like it with cream, it’s just that the overall taste is a bit different.
I’m also careful to limit my intake. Too much and my brain and body don’t work as well.
Coffee is my friend 🙂 It’s my one remaining vice, and there’s no way I’m ever giving it up. My morning writing time with a mug of steaming coffee is truly blissful!
Thanks for setting everyone straight on this, John 🙂
Glad to help out Jean.
I start every morning at the computer with my fresh coffee. Wouldn’t have it any other way..
Great post for coffee lovers everywhere, and thanks John.
It reminded me that the very aroma of coffee can increase the brain’s serotonin levels and thereby boost brainpower for the day!
Not a bad kickback for simply taking time to smell the coffee:-) Your words too get the day off to a serotonin start!
Didn’t know about the link between increased serotonin levels and just the smell of coffee. I do have my personal anecdotal evidence from the brewing process, and grinding of the beans.
Coffee is a real lifesaver drug for me. I don’t really like it that much (I know I’m weird that way; I’m not a chocoholic, either), but a strong cup of coffee and a couple of ibuprofen work wonders for migraines!
I definitely give thanks to the Coffee Gods!
Melissa, I know people that don’t drink coffee on a regular basis, just when they really need the pick-me-up.
I didn’t know it also helps with migraines. One more benefit for the miracle brew!
Organic, like you said, John. . .and hopefully, whenever possible, Fair Trade. I have been a life-long coffee drinker – one cup of strong black coffee in the morning, that’s it. I’m on de-caf now, since I had been experiencing some vertigo episodes a while back and felt the caffeine was exacerbating it. . . and now that the vertigo has vanished, I still haven’t returned to the full-strength stuff – don’t really feel I need the “boost” and there is – what? – 3% caffeine in de-caf?
I also drink quite a bit of decaf, especially from noon on. And I also do Fair Trade when possible.
I hope you get a good hike in this weekend. I will.
I agree and I might add the fresher the better. Make that with organic soy milk please.
Ken, fresh is best — fresh ground, fresh brewed.
My wife just bought me a Keurig Coffee Machine for Fathers day because I wanted to brew individual cups at home without having to make and clean a whole pot at a time. Now I try to drink at least one to two cups per day, not only does it provide mental clarity, but they are finding so many health benefits when drinking in moderation. I drink black with just a little sweet and low, but I like the flavored coffee’s like Hazelnut.
I’ve heard of the Keurig, but I haven’t really investigated it. I just brew 16 ounces at a time.
And I rarely drink flavored coffees, but I’m usually pleasantly surprised when I do.
I do like really good coffee, but it’s essentially a drug.
I have 1-2 cups a day, sometimes none.
You should never drink coffee after 3pm as it interferes with your sleep.
My friend has given up caffine, no coffee and no tea and feels better for it (after 2 weeks when the headaches had gone). Interestingly enough he can’t give up drinking alcohol so easily.
Matthew, I don’t drink coffee after mid-afternoon, or it’s all or nearly all decaf if I do.
I haven’t gone off coffee for over a decade, but the best way to do it is take a week or two and slowly switch to decaf. Begin with 10% decaf the first day, then 15%, etc until finally at the end of a couple of weeks you can go to straight decaf, and then nothing.
Ahhhhh… Exactly the article I was looking for to support my coffee habit. I do agree with you that when you have coffee in moderation it really can enhance your productivity and focus. I also just really enjoy coffee and you hear so many bad things about it. I appreciate you sharing the good ones. It really is all about your perspective 🙂
Glad I can play the role of enabler for you Sibyl!
Unlike Sibyl, I never needed support for my love of coffee (habit). It has to be the most bandied about drug on record, even with all the controversy over that m drug. If you think coffee is a great thing, or worse than demon rum, you can find some support for you belief researched somewhere.
Here’s one for you and Ellen (http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/), we all worry about getting enough antioxidants, and apparently we get more from our coffee than from anywhere else!
Mike, I’ve also read of research that demonstrates that coffee is an excellent source of antioxidants.
There are some potential drawbacks to coffee, primarily based on amounts consumed and certain health preconditions.
Coffee can definitely give you a boost but I think the most important is your attitude towards work. Coffee can probably address the biological aspect of “focus” but you will still fail if you don’t have a system in place. 😉
Drinking coffee is such a great way to start the morning, isn’t it? It gives you the exact jolt that you need to get energized for the rest of the day(most of the time). It also gives us antioxidants that makes skin better and looking younger. 🙂 But you’re right, as much as it helps us with our daily routines, we can’t ignore the negative effects that it does to our bodies and lifestyles. We just have to learn how to put it in the right place.
I’m hopelessly devoted (and addicted to) coffee – so much that I’ve recently queried about a coffee-related post and got the assignment:)
I wish I could be one of those people who could pull allnighters with the help of endless amount of coffee, but I have a stomach condition that prevents me from drinking as much coffee as I’d like. So I limit myself to 3 cups (make that mugs-as I mix it with milk and chocolate to make it tastier and lighter), and use them to stimulate my brain. If I’m too sleepy, I can’t work even as I drink the coffee, but it does prevent me from falling asleep, so I tried to optimize the timing of my 2-3 mugs. 🙂 But it definitely increases my efficiency, and it makes the work a lot more fun.
I primarily drink coffee in the morning right after waking, and it’s a 16 ounce cup of strong French roast. Often in the afternoons I’ll have another cup, but it’s usually mostly decaf.
Be careful about using caffeine to try to deal with a sleep deficit. Often it’s better to take a 30-minute nap and then get back to work, perhaps with a small cup of coffee.
I’ve been trying to do that 30-min nap thing, but whenever I try, I end up spending that 30 minutes falling asleep (even though I am very sleepy, my writer’s mind doesn’t stop for a bit), so then the nap time becomes at least an hour.
But resting a bit and a small cup of coffee afterwards might be a good idea:)
I set an alarm for 30 minutes. If I don’t actually go to sleep, that’s fine. I at least rest my body and my brain, and more often than not, I do drift off.
I often end up doing that. But the occasional actual nap would be nice too : )
OK, so I did comment on this post before- but since right now I’m at one of my favorite coffee shops, drinking coffee and am on a very productive roll, I wanted to say that I still agree with the scientists, regardless of their origin (not that I ever discriminated :D) Coffee fuels me.
I still drink coffee, but I’ve actually cut back on my total caffeine intake, and I’ve even started drinking tea in the afternoons.