One of the most popular drinks in the world, coffee has been around for many millennia. It was first produced in Ethiopia at a plateau. Since its popularity, coffee, according to science, has health benefits which include burning fat, lowering risks of diseases like type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, dementia, etc.; giving the body essential nutrients, etc.
One of these health benefits that coffee gives people is energy or the ability to feel more awake. However, there have been cases of people who say the complete opposite. This begs the question: why doesn’t coffee wake some people up? In this article, we will be discussing why this the case by looking at the facts.
Why People Say Coffee Wakes Them Up
A lot of people like myself love to start the day reaching blindly for their coffee machine whether it be the latest Krups coffee machine or Jura machine it doesn’t matter we just crave that first cup of the day. Let us start off with how coffee wakes people up. It begins with the adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a natural compound found in the brain and is one of the building blocks of RNA. The adenosine is created in the brain. Once it is completed, it has to connect to a receptor.
Once the adenosine is connected to a receptor, it causes drowsiness within the brain because it slows down nerve cell activity and causes the blood vessels to dilate. Now let us say a person decides to drink a cup of coffee. The next question is what does coffee do when it is in the person’s system?
When the coffee gets into a person’s system, the caffeine is bonded with the adenosine receptor. Why does it do that? Well, the nerve cell thinks the caffeine looks like an adenosine receptor, but unlike adenosine, caffeine doesn’t slow down the cell’s activity.
Because of this, nerve cells are excessively faster and blood vessels constrict. Caffeine also increases neuron firing. The pituitary gland will sense this activity happening and produce adrenaline, the chemical that gives the “fight-or-flight” response.
With the science behind why coffee wakes people up, what is the science behind why it doesn’t wake some people up? We will answer this in the next section.
The 6 Reasons Why Caffeine Doesn’t Wake Some People Up
There are six possible reasons why caffeine doesn’t have an effect on some people. These include the following:
- People Are Building Caffeine Tolerance: When the body consumes so much coffee, the body gets used to it. Therefore, it won’t have the wake factor.
- You Are Dehydrated: The human body is filled with 60% of water. Dehydrating is caused when a person doesn’t drink enough water. Coffee also has a tendency to wipe out fluid from the body.
- People Put Too Much Sugar: Since people have the option to put in sugar substitutes in their coffee like syrups and sauces, sugar, or whipped cream, this can have an impact on the human body by giving it a sugar crash.
- People Have A Caffeine Metabolizer: Some people aren’t sensitive to caffeine, unlike other people. It all depends on a person’s genes: if their genes are fast, then coffee won’t have an effect.
- Your Already Too Tired: This happens especially if a person has pulled an all-nighter. Adenosine rises throughout the day but at night, they will make you tired because they already settled in the receptors. This will make you sleepy even if you drink coffee.
- You Changed Your Coffee Beans/Technique: People change their techniques when it comes to making coffee. The downside with doing this is that it doesn’t wake them up. The two most common types of coffee are Robusta and Coffea Arabica. Robusta has more caffeine content in it than Coffea Arabica.
All six of these reasons are why there are some people who drink coffee don’t get the full effect of coffee. If you are one of those people who don’t have the energy after drinking coffee, there are alternatives you can take that are proven to work.
Other Ways To Wake Up When Coffee Doesn’t Work
Need something that picks you up and gives you energy in the morning? If coffee doesn’t work for you, here are some other alternatives you can do that are equally good to do than drinking coffee:
- Buy A Light Alarm Clock: A light alarm clock is a clock that doesn’t wake you up by sound, but by light. When the light turns on, it mimics the brightness of the sun. This is a great option if you have Seasonal Affective Disorder.
- Chewing On Apples Or Gum: According to studies, chewing gum gives you an energy boost. In fact, it is proven to have a higher concentration than coffee. On the other hand, you should also eat an apple since apples have high fructose. Both of these will give your body a boost!
- Drink More H20: Tiredness is usually caused by dehydration. By drinking water, you can give your body the proper nourishment. You can also add flavor to water by adding lemons or ice.
- Getting Matched With Matcha Tea: Another alternative you should do is drinking Matcha tea. Matcha tea has L-Theanine, an amino acid that gives you alertness and enhances your functions.
- Do Yoga: Doing simple stretches in the morning drives oxygen cells to the brain. This will spark energy into your mind and it will get you ready for the day ahead.
- Switch Caffeine With Chicory Roots: Much like matcha tea, chicory roots are filled with antioxidants. The best one to try is the creme caramel rooibos tea made by Teapig. Their tea comes with chunks of caramel.
- Do Listening Activities: These activities include listening to music, talking to friends, listening to an audiobook, or playing a game on your phone. All of these require you to listen and will kick your brain into gear.
There are other alternatives you can take if coffee doesn’t work for you. However, these seven are the best to do in the morning. The top ones we recommend doing is chewing gum or an apple, drinking plenty of water, listening to music (preferably upbeat music), and drinking the other alternative beverages.
If you follow these seven alternatives, it is guaranteed that it will give the right energy for the day ahead!