Sleep is very important for your health and when most individuals do not get enough sleep they turn to caffeinated and sugary products for an energy boost. However too much caffeine and sugar is actually damaging to your health in the long run. To be alert during the day and keep you body healthy you need about 8 hours of sleep each night.
In order to compensate for the lack of sleep the vast majority of individuals will turn to coffee or sugary foods to keep them alert and give them a boost of energy. While these foods may help for a very short time they cannot compete with a good night’s sleep and can actually make it more difficult for you to sleep the next night. They also have adverse health effects.
Sugar foods only provide a very short relief to your tiredness. When the sugar wears off you will crash and burn and be worse then you started. Most individuals find themselves to be even sleepier then before and much slower to react. Instead of sugar to keep you alert you should eat foods that combine some protein and carbohydrates. A great example is apple slices with peanut butter.
Coffee is regularly consumed for the caffeine to get you going. However the caffeine in the coffee you drank in the morning will stay in your body for up to 12 hours. The effects of that caffeine can last long after you have finished your coffee. If you have problems sleeping and drink a lot of coffee you should try not drinking coffee. If you feel you still need some caffeine in the morning then try chocolate or soda, as they have smaller amounts of caffeine.
For those that think they are safe drinking decaffeinated coffee, watch out! Most decaffeinated coffee still contains caffeine. One cup of decaffeinated coffee contains the same amount of caffeine as a 12 oz soda. Only individuals that are sensitive will caffeine will have issues.
So in order to stay healthy try and cut out some of the caffeine and work on getting a good night’s sleep. Exercise can help if you have trouble falling asleep at night.
