I have been drinking coffee all my life. I got the habit from my parents who were great coffee drinkers. I became even more addicted with coffee when I started working. I needed something that would keep me alert and mentally awake all the time. Although there are a lot of drinks that claim to be able to hold off sleepiness coffee is still the best beverage that keeps my mind going. So how does coffee keep you awake? That question has been in the mind of people now for so long.
Before we discover how coffee actually works to keep our minds awake we need to discover how we become sleepy. The chemical adenosine combines with adenosine receptors in the brain cells. This binding of chemicals causes drowsiness on our part by slowing down the brain activity of the nerve cells. It also causes blood vessels to dilate. Adenosine is actually a byproduct of the body’s activity. It is produced inside the body during exercise and other activities.
Inside the brain cells caffeine molecules would actually look like adenosine and so it would attach readily to the adenosine receptors. It does not slow down the brain activity which is the natural effect of adenosine. When this happens the brain cells could no longer feel the adenosine because the caffeine is taking up all the space. In this scenario the activity of the brain cells will actually speed up. The caffeine also constricts the blood vessel which is also the reason why some headache tablets have caffeine as a component. It helps to close down blood vessels in order to relieve the pain.
When the pituitary gland senses all the intense activity going on in the brain cells with all the adenosine being blocked and nerve cell activity actually speeding up, it releases adrenaline to the bloodstream. As you know adrenaline is the hormone that is released when some sort of emergency exists and results in a faster heart beat, higher blood pressure, and opening up of the breathing tubes. That is why you feel your heart beating faster and your hands growing cold right after you drink a huge cup of coffee.
There is no doubt that coffee is the most effective drink to keep the mind focused and awake. It gives the mind a certain sharpness that no other drink could give you. There are other drinks that contain caffeine. Tea, chocolate and others have caffeine in larger doses than coffee but for me there is nothing like a huge cup of coffee to keep me company while working the whole night long. I just love the way that it tastes and how it could make me feel warm all over.
If you need something you keep you sharp and focused then I would recommend coffee so that you can keep your mind right on the target. It works for me and for millions of others so there is a great chance that it would work for you as well when you need it the most.