caffeine

Shifting Schedules

Posted on by Kelly Craig

After all of those all-nighters, cups and cups of caffeine, lack of exercise and tons of stress, going home for summer can be such a change, it could get you sick!

Be sure to make the transition gradually.  This goes out to the freshman especially as they have never gone through this before.  I remember the first time I came home after college, I slept for 15 hours and was in the worst physical shape I had ever been.  I ended up getting pretty sick for a few days too.  Be sure to get your rest, but set an alarm so you do not over sleep or you will have no energy the next day.  Getting your body used to drastically different sleep schedules doesn’t happen overnight (I know, I know, I’m sorry but I had to).

This gradual transition tip also goes for caffeine.  Going from a constant  IV drip of caffeine to none at all can leave you with mild to severe headaches, insomnia or exhaustion, irritability, constipation, lack of concentration, etc.  Tone down your caffeine once you get home and get back on your home schedule, but do not cut it out completely.  Reduce your intake and form of intake.  For instance, if you were drinking energy drinks, try having a small amount of coffee the next day for caffeine, then black tea, then white tea.  Some are more sensitive than others to caffeine shifts; be sure to listen to your body.

If you travel far for school, you may even feel a bit of culture shock when going back home for a few months.  Try to do some things at home that you would have normally done at school.  Keeping a similar schedule. Work out the same time you would if you were at school. Simply staying busy can be a good idea.  You may end up feeling restless or bored, feeling stuck at home instead of living the exciting college lifestyle.  In college, you are surrounded by people.  If you go home to the suburbs or a rural area, you may feel a bit isolated at times.  Be sure to stay busy catching up with family and friends not just getting right into your summer work schedule (if you have one).  Keeping in touch with friends from school can be good too, but be sure to live in the present and interact with the people who are physically around you.

Having things to look forward to in this regard can do you some good.  Getting a couple friends together for a road trip, sports game, or concert can be just the thing you need to get through the hours at a boring summer job.
If you do find yourself with a day completely free and bored, remember that it was only a few weeks ago that you were stressed out beyond belief, and there weren’t enough hours in the day.  Enjoy the days when you’ve got nothing to do since before you know it, you will be a graduate and enter the real world where there are no summers when you’re completely off.

– TravelBug

Coffee Alternatives

Posted on by Kelly Craig

138.1 million bags of coffee were consumed around the world between 2010 and 2011, according to the International Coffee Organization (ICO).  Although there is talk of coffee consumption declining in the 2011/12 consumption year, it can be safely said that Americans are addicted to coffee.  In the United States, 4.11 kg of coffee was consumed per capita in 2010, according to the ICO.

Although recent research has been done to sever the myth that coffee leads to a greater risk of heart disease and cancer, it can lead to caffeinism, more commonly known as a caffeine addiction.  Side-effects of a caffeine addiction include nervous irritability, tremulousness, occasional muscle twitching, sensory disturbances, tachypnea, palpitation, flushing, arrhythmias, diuresis, and gastrointestinal disturbances, according to Holly Pohler’s study Caffeine Intoxication and Addiction found in The Journal for Nurse Practitioners.

There are some health benefits such as a decreased rate of type 2 diabetes, increased liver protection, better mental and physical performance, and protection against colon cancer prevention according to Sharon Palmer’s article Coffee Offers Potential Health Perks in Environmental Nutrition.  It has overall been ruled that there is nothing wrong with having a cup of coffee every so often, although the risk a caffeine addiction is something to stay aware of.

If you are looking to cut back on coffee, try these other energy boosters in the morning:

Stephanie Clarke, R.D., and Willow Jarosh, R.D. worked on behalf of Self.com to create Top 5 Energy-Boosting Foods.  Berries made the top of the list as “one cup of raspberries or blackberries has 8 grams of fiber.  High-fiber foods release sugar into your bloodstream more slowly, so you won’t have peaks and crashes.”

Topping OrganicJar.com’s list is oats as they “contain the energizing and stress-lowering B vitamin family, which helps transform carbs into usable energy,” so experiment filling your morning mug with a high-fiber oatmeal instead of coffee.

Oranges are known to be full of sugar, but are good sources of Potassium, Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C all of which will wake you up before your morning routine.  Other citrus fruits to consider in the morning for a refreshing burst are grapefruit, mandarin, lemon and lime.  Although a great big bite into a lemon would certainly wake you up in the morning, cutting up lemon/lime slices to through in your water could do just the trick.

Other foods that made the cut according to Self.com and OrganicJar.com are nonfat plain Greek yogurt for protein that is a great energizer, bananas for their potassium to help “maintain normal nerve and muscle fuction” (OrganicJar.com), and almonds for their monounsaturated fats which provide fatty acids that keep you focused.

Also, don’t forget to drink water since dehydration will lead to fatigue. Shoot for eight large glasses a day.

-TravelBug

Tips & Tricks to Fall Asleep Faster

Posted on by Kelly Craig

Isn’t it crazy that we can fall asleep in ten seconds flat at the library, but as soon as our heads meet our pillows we are wide-awake? There are many things that can be done to help a person fall asleep fast, without the use of shady sleeping aids those people down the hall always offer you:

1. Limit caffeine.
Caffeine is a stimulant (well, duh). Having a cup of coffee before your night class might instantly perk you up, but chances are you will be up way long after your professor lets you go.  Avoid energy drinks, coffee, even caffeinated tea for about four hours before trying to sleep.

2. No eating right before bed.
Just like caffeine, if you have an orange (or any other acidic fruit) right before bed, it will be harder to drift off to la-la-land.  Just as you don’t want to get wired up on caffeine right before sleep, try not to eat until you’re full right before bed.   You can still hit up late night with friends; just ensure you are not planning on sleeping for s few hours afterward.  If you are starving try to eat lighter foods like eggs, an apple, some cereal, etc. if you are planning to doze off soon.

3. Having a sleeping schedule.
Your friends may be unpredictable or spontaneous, your schedule may be drastically different from day to day, and if your involved on campus, forget about it.  Having a different schedule each day is an exciting part of college that one may not appreciate until one starts working 9-5.  Ensure that your sleep schedule is somewhat routine (i.e. you try to sleep each night around the same time and try to wake each morning similarly).  No one says your bedtime has to be at 11pm anymore, but keeping a schedule will help you fall asleep faster and get a more restful sleep.

4. No tech ‘til breakfast.
This is a tough one, but using your phone, iPad, laptop, or anything of the sort right before bed might be a reason you can’t seem to sleep well.  Have you ever closed your eyes and the first picture you have in your mind is a computer game or a part of that funny YouTube video?  This is a sign you should probably cut down.  Skeptical? See what Dr. Breus has to say about this.

5. The right amount of exercise.
Girls and guys alike seem to drastically change their exercise routine when in college to either extreme. Some slow down their workouts, go less often or stop them completely.  Others workout so hard that their body is throbbing in pain and they end up so sore that they need to take a break on the stairs when trying to get to class on the second floor.  Either of these extremes is harmful to your sleep.  Exercising that right amount is different for everyone, and it takes practice to find that balance.  At least 20 minutes of exercise every other day is a nice minimum whether that is walking, lifting, running or rock climbing.  Finding fun and different ways to keep in shape can keep your muscles guessing and trick your mind into disbelief that what you just did really was a workout can give you a more restful sleep.  Try a new sport with a friend or check out a fitness class on campus.

6. Meditation.
Not a yogi?  Try just sitting at your desk or on a comfortable chair and just take a few slow breaths.  Clearing your head a bit before bed may get rid of some stress or anxiety before sleep.

7. Less pressure on yourself.
Keep up with your responsibilities, going to class and such, but not putting too much pressure on yourself may help you drift off to sleep quicker.  Remember that saying “College is the most exciting time in your life”?  They say that for a reason.

8. College sleep kit.
Either by hitting up the local convenience store or asking for these items to be sent in your next care package, these items are known to help you fall asleep faster:

  1. Lavender lotion or putting a drop of lavender oil behind your pillow
  2. Eye mask to block out your roommates desk light
  3. De-caffeinated herbal tea (most labels will advertise it is a natural sleep remedy)
  4. A word on ear plugs – although they work wonders in the library around finals when everyone is doing their homework last minute, earplugs at night could be dangerous incase of fire or other emergency.  Talking with your roommates or neighbors about the noise level could be your best bet.

Do NOT succumb to alcohol.  Many bad habits can begin in college, but do NOT let using alcohol as a sleep aid become one of them.  Once legal age, there is nothing wrong with a glass of wine at the end of the day, but using alcohol as a sleep aid can be very dangerous! Here’s proof.

Sweet dreams!

-TravelBug

I’m reading From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader

Never Pull an All-Nighter Again (unless you want to)

Posted on by Wonderbread

The All-Nighter:  a panic and caffeine-fueled attempt to cobble together an acceptable academic document such as an essay, lab report, or problem set.  Usually directly followed by The Mad Dash to wherever said document is due.

If you are entering freshman year or are a chronic procrastinator, this post is for you.  You cannot write a quality paper in one night.  It’s just not going to happen. If you were here in person I would grab your face and squeeze your cheeks together like that aunt you avoid at family gatherings, look deeply into your wonderfully naive eyes and tell you not to sell yourself short like that.  OK?  They sound romantic and so…college, I hear you.  But it’s like trying to lose ten pounds in a day.  You’re not going to reach your goal and you’ll feel like crap the next day.  Shaky anxiety from too much caffeine and falling behind on everything else in life does not have to be part of your college experience, nor do you have to spend all your time in the library.  Here’s how:

If you have time to get schoolwork done during the day, use it.  Nighttime is full of distractions.  All your friends are out of class, meal times run long, better TV shows are on.  You get the point, the list is endless.

When it comes to writing a paper, give yourself ten hours for a 3-5 pager, double that for a 10-pager, and so on.  If you use a calendar like Google or Ical (which I highly recommend), use those time guidelines as a rule of thumb and give yourself a day as a cushion.  Any more than that is unrealistic if you’re a procrastinator.

One thing I try to avoid is scheduling huge blocks of time devoted to writing.  It sets you up for dread and procrastination.  Everyone operates differently, though.  Pay attention to how you are most productive and use that to your advantage on your next big project.  Also key is working out the finer points of your paper while doing mundane tasks.  Whether that’s making your drive/walk to class every morning, or cleaning your Superhero figurine collection (I’m not judging, I swear).  Keeping your paper on the backburner of your brain will keep you from pulling an all-nighter.

One last thing, and I realize this is oddly specific and personal but it took me a while to figure out and might help you, too.  I find that sometimes a cup of calming tea is better than coffee or energy drinks to write.  It gets you out of “HOLY SHIT I HAVE TO GET SOMETHING ON PAPER OR I’M GOING TO FAIL” mode to an “okay, let’s take this one step at a time” mindset.

Still having problems writing that “A” paper?  Coming soon…. How To Write a Paper So Wickedly Fantastic Your Professor Will Try to Pass it Off As His Own Kids’.  The length of that title was completely necessary, thanks for asking.

 

Wonderbread

I’m reading Anatomy and Physiology: The Unity of Form and Function