10 Scientific Reasons Drinking Coffee Makes You More Awesome

“Coffee smells like freshly ground Heaven”

Coffee is the wonderful elixir of energy that many people cherish every single morning. Many people are familiar with what coffee is, but what many people don’t understand is how coffee actually works and what are some of the amazing benefits of coffee that actually make you a better person for drinking it. Can coffee really be that good for you? Let’s find out.

Caffeine is a natural central nervous system stimulant and is the ingredient found in coffee that gives us the boost that makes feel energized, awake, and ready to tackle the day. Caffeine affects everyone differently depending on a wide variety of factors including your genetics. The way caffeine works on our brains is actually quite interesting.

Caffeine closely resembles a neurotransmitter called adenosine, which causes sleepiness and tiredness when adenosine builds up and binds to adenosine receptors in the brain. As the day goes on and your brain does its work, adenosine begins to fill these receptors and you become tired and ready for bed.

When caffeine enters your brain, things begin to change. Remember the time you were waiting in a packed parking lot for that one spot left open and you turned on your blinker waiting for the car to reverse out and all of the sudden someone sneaks in and snags the spot you had been waiting for? That’s basically what caffeine does in your brain.

Caffeine binds to the adenosine receptors, taking its place, and keeping adenosine out! This is what keeps you awake and energized. So not only does caffeine provide a stimulatory effect on the brain to provide energy but it also blocks adenosine from pumping the brakes on your brain and your energy.

Here are some other amazing benefits you get when you sip on that delicious cup of heaven.

1. Improved alertness and attention — Studies have shown that coffee can improve your alertness and concentration, helping you get in the zone and focus. [R]
2. Improve wakefulness when you are tired or worn out — Didn’t get great sleep the night before? Don’t worry, coffee has been shown to boost your energy, improve concentration, and wakefulness to get you back on track when you are fatigued or running on poor sleep.
3. Loaded With Antioxidants — According to one study coffee is absolutely LOADED with antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and keep your brain functioning at a high level. It’s important to know that many of these antioxidants are in the oils of the coffee, so avoid filtering coffee with paper filters to preserve as many antioxidant as possible. [R]
4. Coffee has been shown to help with Neurodegenerative Disorders — According to some studies, coffee may be able to help prevent dementia, Alzheimers, and other neurological disorders. [R]
5. Could reduce your risk of depression — Some of the anti-depression benefits are thought to come from the large dose of antioxidants that are found in coffee, which prevent brain inflammation from stressing your brain. [R]
6. Improves Memory — Studies have shown that coffee improves memory retrieval and consolidation, which is what makes memories stick and more easily recalled. [R]
7. Improves Brain Speed — Caffeine has been shown to improve your brains reaction time and speed, which can help you do almost any mental task quicker and faster. [R]
8. Improve Athletic performance for a short period of time — coffee also stimulates an adrenaline response, opening your airways, increasing blood supply to your muscles, and improving your reaction time, making it a great short term performance booster. [R]
9. Neuroprotective — Studies have demonstrated how caffeine is protective to your brain, making it more resilient to stress, aging, and neurological disease. [R]
10. Burn Fat — Multiple studies have shown that coffee can actually boost your metabolism helping you burn more fat. [R]

So go ahead drink that delicious cup of heaven.

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