Most of us start our morning out with a delicious cup of coffee and couldn't imagine it without our favorite beverage. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises limiting your caffeine intake to 400 milligrams a day for healthy adults, which works out to about four 8-ounce cups of coffee.
For others, they may feel they drink too much caffeine and would like to be able to start their day without having to rely on a cup of joe. Some people want to cut back because having too much caffeine can cause insomnia, jitters, anxiousness, headaches, etc. Cutting back can mean you have to deal with the side affects as well but their are a few ways you can curb that craving.
NBC News Health and Nutrition Editor, Madelyn Fernstrom and Kristin Kirkpatrick, lead dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Wellness & Preventive Medicine, share their tips:
As soon as you hop out of bed, grab a glass of water. After sleeping you want to make sure you rehydrate. Many people don't drink enough water and being dehydrated can cause you to be lethargic. If you are not an avid water drinker, skip the sugary drinks and grab a cold glass of any low-calorie beverage. The cold drink will help boost your energy.
Kirkpatrick recommends using an aromatherapy diffuser in the morning. According to a recent study, aromatherapy can help fight fatigue. The scent of rosemary and lavender scented oils can make you feel more alert and sharp.
Fresh air and sunlight can be an awesome energy booster. When feeling tired and groggy try taking a walk outside.
Eat low-glycemic foods like healthy fats, lean protein and plain yogurt with mixed berries. These choices will help you maintain energy for longer. Foods that are high on the glycemic index like white grains, and sugary drinks can cause a spike in your blood sugar. Once that initial surge of power is over your energy will plummet causing you to feel even more tired.
At snack time try to avoid the sugary choices. Instead, grab a combination of carbs and protein. These will provide immediate energy and give you fuel that will last longer. Some healthy options to try would be peanut butter on a cracker or some celery, pita with hummus or Greek yogurt.
You can always try switching to a herbal non-caffeinated tea. If you like green or black tea, just know they still have caffeine but it is less than what you find in a typical cup of coffee.
Make sure you stretch. Get that blood flowing and help coax those tight muscles to loosen up. This can help boost your mental energy.
If you are not okay with giving up coffee completely, try cutting back to one large cup a day. Like many addictions, your tolerance goes up the more you take in. The less you drink the more effective the caffeine will be at boosting your energy.
Read all the tips for yourself at Today.com