Does Coffee Really Boost Productivity?
It is no secret that coffee is a daily feature in any busy business person’s life. We can all be guilty of depending on caffeine to keep us alert, active and productive, but is it really as effective at keeping us productive as we think it is? Today we are exploring just how powerful coffee is in keeping our brains and bodies active and if we really do need it to keep us productive throughout our working day.
The Science Behind Coffee
We all drink coffee in different ways depending on how we tend to feel at different moments of the day. Some of us wake up and head straight to the coffee machine as a non-negotiable, needs-must, way to start the day. Others wait until an 11 o’clock break time to relax and enjoy their first cup, as a sociable thing to do. Others drink coffee as a way to combat energy slumps throughout the day. So why do we all have different routines with the way that drink coffee, even though we are all essentially drinking it for the same reason, to wake up and be alert?
Every moment that we are awake, the neurons in our brain are working away. As they work they product ‘adenosine’, which is a chemical compound found in the brain. There are a handful of different adenosine receptors in the body but there is one in particular that coffee seems to have a direct impact on and that is called the ‘A1 receptor’.
When a person drinks coffee, the caffeine goes straight to the A1 receptor and impersonates it. This is because caffeine is strikingly similar to adenosine, so the body accepts it as it own. What happens then is that they become bonded and the brain no longer needs to produce its own dopamine and glutamate, as the caffeine is doing that all on its own. This works to keep us alert and productive as it stops the brain from grinding to a halt when a person is tired and needs to rest.
Coffee Break Time
So not only does the caffeine in coffee give us that much needed boost in productivity, but actually taking a break can also work wonders in making us feel refreshed and ready to take on the next couple of hours at our desk. Therefore all offices should be providing a coffee break area where staff can spend 10 minutes chatting over a nice cup of the ‘good stuff’. Companies should be providing an attractive and easy to use coffee machine. These days most coffee drinkers have become connoisseurs and so it’s worth investing in one of the better coffees machines out there in order to provide fantastic coffee for all their employees to keep them happy and alert.
So How Much is Too Much?
There are contrasting studies about how much coffee is too much coffee. However the general consensus from scientific studies seem to conclude that 400 milligrams of coffee, per day is around the safe amount for the average adult. That translates to around 4 medium sized coffees a day. Which is great news for those of us that rely on coffee for those all important boosts throughout our working days.
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