Coffee is the go-to for energy boosting, especially if you're not a morning person. Coffee, however, frequently results in a crash in energy hours after your first sip, making you feel even more worn out than before. Herbal supplements may be a healthier, more long-lasting option to increase your energy levels if you are fatigued and find it difficult to stay awake or aware than the short-term energy that coffee seems to offer.
How Does Coffee Function?
It's critical to know how coffee functions in the body and how its energizing properties differ from those of competing beverages before discussing which herbs can boost natural energy the greatest.
One of coffee's main components, caffeine, is responsible for its stimulating effects. The stimulant caffeine helps to increase sensations of energy and alertness by stimulating the central nervous system and the brain.
When you consume coffee or other beverages containing caffeine, such as energy drinks, the caffeine is swiftly absorbed in your gut during digestion and then quickly moves to your brain. In order to boost sensations of alertness, it works to promote neuronal activity levels and raise the levels of several chemicals, such as cortisol and adrenaline.
Because of all of this, coffee can be useful for a quick energy boost, but drinking too much of it might harm your sleep, blood sugar, and stress response. Due to elevated levels of stress hormones, coffee may temporarily raise your blood pressure and heart rate as well as make you feel restless or anxious.
In addition, your body can "adapt" to coffee and build a tolerance to the caffeine. As a result, you may need higher doses of caffeine to have the same short-term effects and may feel more sleepy once the caffeine wears off.
Why Do Crashes Follow Coffee?
Caffeine attaches to adenosine receptors in your brain, preventing adenosine from binding, to lessen fatigue and provide an invigorating impact. This does not imply that your brain continues to produce adenosine, though.
Adenosine typically works by being continually created throughout the day, slowly building up in your neural system to make you tireder and tireder as the day goes on. You'll eventually become so exhausted that you must sleep, and when you do, those adenosine molecules are broken down so that the cycle can restart the next day.
This adenosine cycle is a crucial component of your circadian rhythm, the biological clock that controls when you wake up, feel drowsy, eat, and other functions.
When the effects of the caffeine wear off and the receptors are open for binding, adenosine that has built up in your brain due to excessive coffee consumption may flood those receptors. This may have an impact on cognitive function and mental performance and have negative impacts including fatigue, difficulty focusing, or stress. Low blood sugar levels may also result from the abrupt change in brain activity.
Which Herbs Can Support Energy and Mood?
Some herbs can be a great substitute and allow you to skip the caffeine crash or anxiety rush. They're more sustainable and a long term better solution.
Chasteberry (or Chaste Berry)
Used for years, this botanical herb has been known to help with mood due to the effect on hormones. Because of this, it's also been known to help with hormonal acne (an added plus)!
Maritime Pine Bark
Although this has a normally bitter taste, Maritime Pine Bark is the superstar ingredient that helps with focus and clarity. Try Aura Essentials PMS with a Açaí flavor that masks the bitterness and gives you all the good benefits to keep you productive and focused all day long.
What Are Some Ways to Include Herbs in Your Diet?
Energizing herbs can be added to your diet as powders, tinctures, pills, gummies, or supplements. Smoothies can be deliciously enhanced by adding powders to naturally give you more energy. Check out Aura Essentials to learn more.
