Hi there, The natural world is pretty good at responding to the seasons. Bears hibernate. Trees drop their leaves and conserve resources for spring. Birds migrate toward warmer weather. Even my dogs seem perfectly content to spend a little more time asleep when the days get short. Humans are a different story. Daylight dwindles, temperatures drop, and some part of us feels the shift but the demands of modern life don’t exactly follow the seasons. Your alarm still goes off at 6. The kids still need to get to school. The workday doesn’t end when the sun goes down. And right around the time the days get darker, Q4 brings holidays, travel, parties, deadlines, and the annual push to wrap up everything we swore we’d finish this year. So we do what humans do: We find ways to keep going. And for roughly 90% of American adults, one of those ways is caffeine. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Caffeine is an incredibly useful tool but not all sources are created equal. Dose, the compounds riding along with it, and how you drink your caffeine changes how it feels. For instance: Tea generally delivers a smaller dose of caffeine alongside L-theanine, which can help promote a calmer, more focused experience. Coffee typically delivers more caffeine (with the bean, brewing method, and brand all changing the amount) along with plant compounds like chlorogenic acids which are associated with benefits like improved insulin sensitivity and reduced liver fat. Energy drinks and pre-workouts can pack 200–300 mg of caffeine into a serving, sometimes alongside sugar, additional stimulants, or nootropic blends that change the experience further.
None of this makes one source universally better than another. Different tools, different jobs. But if you find yourself reaching for caffeine a little more often as the days get shorter, it pays to know how your caffeine source changes the experience and which one best fits the moment. Why 50 mg can feel very different from 200+ mg How food and hydration can influence your caffeine experience How I personally rank tea, coffee, energy drinks, and pre-workout (and when I’d use each)
Don’t skip your favorite cold weather, midday pick-me-up drinks. Know what’s in your cup, pay attention to how you feel an hour later, and make adjustments that work for you. Stay Salty,
Robb and the LMNT Team |
