Clever Brain

Caffeine is one common ingredient used by a lot of people in order to boost their brain powers. This is because caffeine, normally found in coffee, wakes the brain up and sets it in an alert, vigilant mode, ready to work overtime. Indeed caffeine has been helpful in keeping people active especially at times when they have to sleep, but it also has other effects which need to be given adequate importance.

While caffeine may provide short-term stimulus to your brain, it is believed that long-term caffeine may lead to a decline in your brainpower.

1. Caffeine causes an adrenaline rush. Our body has a natural way of allotting strength which we use at a normal rate. At the same time however, it also keeps extra, more powerful strength for us to exert during certain instances. Through caffeine, our body unleashes this strength hormone called adrenaline, which keeps us high and active for a period of time. Once the “high” feeling lasts, the brain is left tired and exhausted, and so is our whole body.

2. Caffeine increases the dopamine levels. The feeling of happiness is caused by the neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine signals the brain to be more happy and energetic, and thus we are subject to releasing more strength and energy throughout the day. Because of dopamine, the brain is more motivated to work at its best, and once the caffeine wears off, the said neurotransmitter goes back to normal, and so does the brain function.

3. Caffeine keeps the brain awake for extra hours. We control our actions, movements and activities, but we do not control the effects of caffeine in our brain. Because of its stimulating effect, caffeine keeps the brain working even when our designated assignment has already been fulfilled, which in turn makes it difficult for us to sleep and rest. This can lead to sleeping problems such as narcolepsy and insomnia.

4. Caffeine increases our levels of stress and anxiety. Also due its stimulating effects, caffeine makes the brain not only function better, but also faster, because of the increases speed, the brain easily feels the pressure and stress brought about by the surrounding environment, and in turn make it difficult to process thoughts and ideas better. We then become tense, nervous and anxious, and less confident of our work.

5. Caffeine produces brain fog. One after effect of caffeine is that it increases the occurrence of brain fogs. Since the brain could no longer function at its best due to overwork, we then suffer from blank thoughts and brain fogs at certain times of the day, causing us to forget about important things such as names and dates.

Indeed caffeine can produce such effects on the brain; it may even lead to the decline of one’s brainpower in the long run. These consequences can however be reduced or avoided by drinking coffee (as well as other stimulant alternatives) moderately. One can also practice exercise to enrich the mind, and make it work faster and better without relying on an external ingredient such as caffeine.