The idea of making it through our morning class routines without a caffeine buzz on is mildly horrifying. With THON coming up it’s important to kick your body’s dependency on caffeine to keep you going.
Not only is consuming massive amounts of caffeine a poor way to keep you alert for long periods of time, it might even have some long term health effects. Insomnia, high blood pressure and anxiety have all been strongly linked to caffeine controlled lifestyles. We’re all so excited for those 46 hours of pushing our limits to make a difference for THON, but the problem with using caffeine as your stimulant is that it is always followed by a crash.
Whether you’re in the action on the floor or cheering on dancers from the stands, a caffeine crash will not be welcome.
Denise Babilya, a sophomore THON chair for EASI House says being able to stay awake without crashing is, “very important! The more alert I am for THON the more involved I’ll be in all the activities going on. I want to take part in everything and be able to make the most out of the experience.”
Valley did some research to find out how you can kick the coffee cravings in time to be ready for THON.
Start off Slowly
The most important thing to follow when trying to decrease your dependency is that it must be done gradually. When caffeine is an essential element to your diet, cutting it out cold turkey will probably bring on dull headaches and moodiness. For the first week, try limiting your coffee consumption to before noon. You should eventually start to feel like you don’t even need that extra kick to get you through the afternoon.
Sneaky Substitutes
It seems so obvious, but that’s because it really works. A great way to get rid of a coffee habit is to trick your body and mind into thinking you’re still getting your fix. Drink decaf coffee or decaffeinated sodas. Your brain will associate the taste with feeling alert and awake.
Change your Habits
In the weeks leading up to THON, start to use a more natural approach to give yourself an energy boost. Combat midday yawns with a half hour nap to refresh or eat foods packed with energy. Fruit contains sugars that don’t elevate your blood sugar as much a simple sugars and starches, so you’ll never experience a crash. Also, drinking lots (we mean a lot!) of water prevents dehydration, which is a huge cause of sleepiness.
Photo by Grace Shyu
