Consuming Caffeine: How to Use it for Good
By Merritt Sullivan
Caffeine is something that most college students consume daily. It has become a habit or a necessity for many. My iced coffee is something I look forward to each day, and I am certainly not alone. The FDA states that “roughly 80% of U.S. adults consume caffeine every day”, which quantifies its omnipresence. Recently I listened to a podcast by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and professor at Stanford University, who described in detail how we can use caffeine to our benefit instead of removing it. I enjoy coffee and wasn’t looking to cut it out of my routine, so I was happy to learn how to maximize its benefits.
The first recommendation he offers is to delay caffeine consumption until 90-120 minutes after waking. When I first heard this I was doubtful because my iced coffee is what keeps me awake during my early morning classes. Dr. Huberman uses science and explains that adenosine receptors are what make us feel sleepy, and it takes 60-90 minutes for the receptors to disperse. The caffeine in our daily coffee is an adenosine blocker, so when it is consumed first thing in the morning, the adenosine is unable to break down by itself. This results in an afternoon crash we experience. Dr. Huberman puts this science in simpler terms by elaborating on the idea that we do not get more energy from caffeine, but we borrow it from other parts of our system. So, the afternoon crash that many experience can be avoided by allowing our adenosine receptors to disperse, and then consuming caffeine at the point in which our cortisol levels have dropped. Although it can be difficult to prolong the period between waking and caffeine consumption at first, Dr. Huberman suggests increasing the time between waking and caffeine consumption gradually until you reach the 90–120-minute mark.
Another way we can use caffeine to our benefit is with mental performance and memorization. I am always looking for ways to have better study habits; Dr. Huberman has found that consuming 1-3mg of caffeine per kilogram (~2.2 lbs.) of body weight in the 30 minutes prior to studying is beneficial. So when I grab my coffee before sitting down to study I am setting myself up for success. He also says that consuming caffeine after studying, “can enhance the information of memory that one was trying to learn” (Huberman, 1:48). Though this wouldn’t be a good habit to implement if you are studying very late at night, it could be helpful when studying first thing in the morning. If you don’t have an early class, scheduling a morning study period prior to caffeine consumption would increase productivity and memorization. Consuming caffeine while studying isn’t a bad thing either because it can allow us to retain information better, but abstaining from caffeine while trying to learn something and then consuming it afterward can increase memory. Something so simple about focusing on the timing of caffeine can allow us to be more effective with our time and our minds.
In short, think of caffeine, in moderation, as a healthy benefit to your day. Experiment with these tips to see if you can get more value out of your coffee or energy drink to avoid the afternoon crash and optimize mental performance. You got this!
