Stop Drinking Soda & Coffee for Energy – Climb the Stairs Instead!

Drinking coffee first thing in the morning may seem like the logical way to perk up low energy levels. Researchers have found, though, that caffeine – either from soda, energy drinks, coffee, or tea – has less of an effect on a person’s energy as does physical activity. The physical activity promoted in this recent study: stair climbing. Climbing the stairs may be the last thing a person wants to do when they’ve had a long night, but according to a study in Reuters, taking the stairs has a more profound effect on energy than caffeine. The study followed young, busy women, as this is a demographic that is largely often sleep deprived. The women in the study averaged less than 6.5 hours of sleep each night. Some of the women were given a placebo, others a 50mg dose of caffeine, and the last group had to climb stairs for 10 minutes. After this, they were asked to describe their level of energy, and were also tested for cognitive awareness and function. This included testing their memory and reaction times. The women who climbed the stairs felt significantly more energized, particularly right after their exercise. According to Men’s Health, the activity didn’t reduce the participant’s cognitive function, which means that when a person exerts themselves physically they don’t exhaust themselves mentally. Medical News Today reports that the participants even had greater motivation to work after their jaunt up the stairs. So, after a sleepless night – ditch the caffeine and hit the stairs. You’ll feel better!