What are the benefits of drinking coffee?
Improves energy levels
For many of us when we wake up in the morning, the first thing we think about is our first cup of coffee. Drinking moderate amounts of coffee energises and uplifts our mood so that we no longer feel tired and fuzzy.
Adenosine is a substance that binds to receptors in your brain causing you to feel sleepy. Your body thinks caffeine looks like adenosine as they both have similar structures. Therefore, it can also bind to the receptors and trick your brain into thinking that it is not tired. Consuming your first cup of coffee within a few hours of waking up is recommended for the best results.
Improves productivity
Caffeine is a stimulant that keeps employees more alert and increases productivity in the workplace. A study at MIT in 2010 confirmed that employees taking coffee breaks throughout the day helped to strengthen an individual’s social group and resulted in better productivity within the office as they were able to re-charge their batteries and spend some quality time with their co-workers.
Improves memory
As well as preventing you from dozing off at work, coffee also helps you to remember better. With a sharper memory, you can recall details and instructions better, and solve more problems for projects you are working on as a team. Getting coffee from a hot drinks machine helps you to stay focused, learn and complete tasks at a faster pace after training.
Increases creativity
Coffee makes you more alert, stimulating the brain to be more creative and think out-of-the-box. Drinking coffee can help creativity in both individual and group environments, as there is room for innovative thinking or inspiration. However, some may argue that coffee decreases your creativity as you restrict your mind from wandering as you become more attentive.
Helps prevent mistakes
Another positive impact that coffee can have in your workplace is that it will help prevent your employees from making mistakes. As your mind is sharper and more attentive, you are more able to take in details and are less prone to making mistakes. Also, you are able to spot anything you may find unusual and can, therefore, fix any issues immediately.
Reduces pain
Sitting at a desk in front of a computer all day can cause aches and pains due to immobility and posture. A study demonstrated that subjects who drank coffee whilst performing pain-inducing computer work exhibited less pain in comparison to those who did not drink coffee. These results imply that caffeine can be used to help people who are feeling dull aches and pains in the workplace.
Burns fat
Several studies have shown that drinking coffee for breakfast can get rid of fat. As you sip your coffee at your desk, the caffeine increases your metabolic rate, leading to fat loss. Your cup of coffee may not eliminate the cheesecake you had yesterday night, but it is good to know you are burning some of it off before going to the gym.
Provides stress relief
Drinking coffee may strengthen your employee’s ability to tolerate stress. According to the Harvard Medical School, coffee consists of anti-inflammatory compounds that may prevent inflammation and protect your brain from stress-inducing hormones.
Protects against diseases
Coffee contains antioxidants that protects you against such diseases as:
Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a medical condition where the brain becomes progressively damaged as the sufferers get older. Currently, there is no cure for PD and research is still being conducted. According to a study, there is a relationship between consuming caffeine and the risk of Parkinson’s disease. The results indicated the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease was decreased by half when subjects had 4-5 cups of coffee a day compared to those who did not have coffee.
Alzheimer’s disease
Throughout the globe, people suffer from a common type of dementia called Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Coffee may act as a protective factor to AD. A study concluded drinking 3-5 cups of coffee as we get older may be associated with postponing the onset of AD. Potentially the risk of developing the disease is decreased by 65%.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a common condition where there is an excessively high sugar level in the blood. A recent study reported that participants who were lifetime coffee drinkers had a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes than the non-drinkers. This study suggests how important coffee plays a vital role in our health.
Lowers mortality rate
Many studies have found a link between the amount of coffee consumed and the risk of death. People who drink around 3 cups of coffee a day may live longer than people who do not drink coffee. Coffee drinkers have a lower death rate as they are less likely to die from heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes and infections.