Mid-Afternoon Slump? Why a Sugar Rush May Not Be the Answer

     

We’ve all been guilty of turning to quick pick-me-ups to help us make it through a long day. For many of us this means an extra cup of coffee or energy drink sometime between lunch and five o’clock. While there’s little denying that this approach works, it’s far from perfect. If you’ve ever tried it for more than a few days in a row, then you probably know its limitations firsthand.

Consequences of Sugar and Caffeine

Our bodies quickly build up a high tolerance for substances like caffeine and sugar. Prolonged overuse of these substances usually tends to have undesirable side effects. In the case of afternoon carb overloading, this often means consequences like rapid weight gain, obesity, and even type 2 diabetes in more extreme examples. With over-caffeination, reactions frequently include bowel instability, mood swings, and anxiety. Both are also associated difficulties sleeping through the night.

A number of caffeine and sugar alternatives are available in stores, but many have significant shortcomings of their own. More importantly, recent findings suggest that sweet-tasting energy sources, regardless of their origin, may actually trigger drowsiness.

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