Getting a good higher education and finding success in one’s career is every young adult’s dream. However, to achieve the goal one has to study hard and prepare in advanced for any upcoming exams and other academic commitments.
Yet sometimes, students don’t feel like studying or are too sleepy to focus on the subject at hand. Of course, it is completely natural to feel unproductive sometimes and many of us are reluctant to work on more than one occasions.
But what to do if you have a final exam the very next day or a term paper due in the morning? How to overcome the tiredness and sleepiness? How to motivate oneself to study and complete the task on hand?
Coffee to the rescue!
Coffee (in any form) is something most of us take the first thing in the morning. It is because coffee contains caffeine which helps us stay alert and improves our concentration for the working day ahead. However, health experts have always emphasized on consuming too much caffeine and the negative side effects it can have on the body. For example, drinking too much coffee, especially at night can keep you awake instead of letting you get a good night sleep.
For the most part this is also true and one should not over consume caffeine. In fact, most nutrition experts recommend that drinking 3 – 4 cups of coffee per day is sufficient for a productive day.
But what about students? Will staying up late at night with the help of coffee improve their studies or would they be groggy the next morning as an after effect of staying up all night? And does coffee really helps in concentration and memory skills?
If you are a student and have endured your share of not-so-productive days, then don’t worry! We are here to help you find out if you should be investing in a good coffee maker for your next study session or not!
Benefits of coffee for students
Enhances short term memory:
Our memory is divided into two parts – short-term memory and long-term memory.
The long-term memory (LTM) is responsible for storing information over long-periods of time while the short-term (STM) is activated when learning new material. The caffeine found in coffee helps improve alertness and enhances the person’s short-term memory abilities so they can easily learn new information.
This is especially helpful in study session as caffeine enables students to retain more information over a short period of time and facilitates better understanding.
Additionally, A recent study conducted at the John Hopkins University also proved that caffeine improves short-term memory and those who take 200 mg of caffeine before study session were able to retain learnt information for more than 24 hours.
Increases focus and concentration:
We are surrounded by a number of distractions which doubles up when we are in the process of completing a task. However, coffee works as a stimulant to improve our alertness and concentration towards tedious tasks like reading textbooks and learning new concepts.
Improves mood:
We all need a break now and then to freshen up. And admit it; it’s hard to study for 2-3 hours straight without a little breather. Coffee is an enjoyable drink and a short coffee break comes really handy during study sessions as it diverts our mind for a little while and improves our mood.
Coffee works differently on different people:
Before you start reading up on coffee maker reviews for your next purchase, remember, coffee has a different effect on different people. For some, it may help remain alert while others benefit from improvement in mood.
The quantity of caffeine also matters as some people will get a burst of energy from just one cup of Joe while others need at least three cups to recharge.
For studying, we suggest that you try taking a cup or two at your next study session. Keep track of your reactions. If you find that you are able to focus better after coffee, then you can certainly make it a habit of consuming caffeine for every academic task.
Apart from coffee…
Higher achievement, however, asks for more than just coffee. To aim high in academic endeavors, make sure you:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Get a good night’s sleep
- Stay away from stress
- And make it a habit of conducting well-planned study sessions and avoid leaving studying or other daily tasks for the last minute
All in all, coffee is an enjoyable drink that is loved by the majority of American population. Whether you use it for studying or getting up in the morning – a cup of coffee is a staple in most household. So if you have not already invested in a coffee maker, grab your smartphones and look up coffee maker reviews to purchase the best machine that you’ll use for many years.
Happy studying!