Caffeine is a known stimulant that improves cognition, concentration, and the ability to memorize matter. Many students use caffeine in one form or another, and they experience significant improvements in their test scores. However, there are both upsides and downsides to caffeine, as you are about to find out.
Sources of Caffeine for Students
There are many sources of caffeine that students can tap into to boost their academic performance:
- White, Green and Black Tea,
- Coffee and Espresso Shots,
- Energy Drinks,
- Supplements.
Caffeine can also be found in other foods we regularly eat, such as sodas, chocolate, and some heavily processed foods. For this reason, being careful with your tea and coffee intake is crucial, as it is so easy to overdo the caffeine.
Upsides of Taking Caffeine
Caffeine improves a multitude of processes in the body. It has a positive effect on cognition, memory, energy levels, and memorizing matter quickly and efficiently. For this reason, it is one of the most popular drinks in the world, with college and university students swearing by it and its beneficial effects on their study outcomes.
Caffeine and Cognition
Caffeine dilates blood vessels, such as capillaries, and makes your tissues more oxygenated. This is the reason why your cognition improves when on caffeine: your brain receives more oxygen. This is also why caffeine helps wake you up in the morning and why your on-campus Starbucks is as busy as it is during the morning hours.
Caffeine and Memory
Furthermore, many students report that caffeine improves both their short-term and long-term memory. Caffeine is widely recommended to people working in many fields of life. Many quick translation services can boast their fast delivery times and high-quality translation, at least in part thanks to this magical substance. Try it out for yourself and follow your typing speed or memorization ability.
Caffeine and the Gym
Furthermore, caffeine is known to increase your energy levels. If you are a student who likes to hit the gym in the early morning or afternoon, you may have noticed how many bodybuilders take caffeine just minutes before their workout. The reason is simple: caffeine decreases their rest and recovery time and gives them more energy so that they can pump more weight into their standard workout time.
Downsides of Taking Caffeine
Of course, not all is a fairy tale with caffeine. As with any other substance, there are downsides to taking it in doses higher than recommended. If you take more than 3 cups of caffeinated drinks per day, you may experience: worsening of your long-term memory, hyperfocus, and issues with sleeping. While temporary, these symptoms can be quite scary, so being aware of them can help you better understand what is happening the next time they occur.
Caffeine and Memory Part 2
Worsening of the memory is one of the rare side effects of taking too much caffeine for a time that is too long. While it is reversible, it can take quite some time to manage to reverse these effects. If you are a college student, you understand how important long-term memory is for you.
Caffeine and Hyperfocus
Furthermore, taking more caffeine than is recommended can bring you into a state of hyperfocus. While a desirable trait, focusing on one thing only has its downsides: most college professors prefer to see students who can make connections between theirs and other courses held at the program and not just students who can memorize infinite amounts of data.
Caffeine and Sleep
Lastly, issues with sleeping are a known issue for college students. Too much stress, assignments, and trying to balance your studies and private life all take a toll on your sleep patterns. Just ask any med student about electronic health data corpora on caffeine. Caffeine can only aid, as it interrupts sleep and makes you prone to waking up in the middle of the night.
Final considerations
While many swear by caffeine, many others think that being moderate brings you the most benefits without the downsides. As with anything else in life, consume caffeine only when you need it: during the busy finals, in the morning, or before the gym. Use caffeine as a way to boost, rather than supplement, what you can already do.
Barbara Fielder
Barbara Fielder misses traveling and the worry-less vacations to exotic destinations. This bilingual used every chance she had to travel abroad and practise her foreign language. However, she uses the time spent at home wisely: working on her education and growing as a more mindful person.
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