December 14, 2015
Do You Rely on Energy Drinks to Get You Through a 60-Hour Week? Here's Why You Need to Kick the Habit
For many of us, a 40-hour work week is unheard of. It would actually serve as a welcome change from the 60-80 hours of work you're putting in at the office. You can't really be faulted for grabbing a quick pick-me-up in the form of an energy drink. However, that drink may just be enough to cause serious damage to your body.
28-year-old, Martin Bowling, knows the risks energy drinks pose all too well. Working long hours, he relied on energy drinks to get him through the week. After drinking 2 liters over the course of the day, he suffered a heart attack. When he regained consciousness in the hospital, doctors told him that an excess amount of caffeine in the blood stream had caused cardiac arrest. Bowling says he had been using energy drinks to function for seven years! He said, "I'd been drinking them for about seven years and it was like I'd become mentally addicted. Sometimes, I could find myself in arguments if I hadn't had one. The amount I was drinking had slowly increased since I started when I was 21. I would wake up and think of an energy drink then go to sleep after an energy drink - they helped me sleep." He had clearly formed a dependency as he says he even wanted a can after doctors had explained that the high levels of caffeine had caused the problems in the first place. Bowling was spending over $100 a week on energy drinks! Moderate caffeine consumption is not a bad thing. However, if you are having coffee or tea in the mornings and then drinking energy drinks later in the day, you are probably going too far. Taking a pass on energy drinks is a good way to make sure you don't overdo it on caffeine.
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We know how difficult it can be to feel tired and run down while trying to work. Concentration can be hard to come by when energy levels drop. But there are lots of natural solutions to this problem. There are foods you can eat that will naturally boost your body's ability to create, convert and use energy. Foods that contain protein, potassium, and magnesium should be major go-tos. For some foods that will give you a quick, easy energy boost, check out this list. Getting regular exercise is also great for energy. When your body is healthy, the internal mechanisms work more effectively and you won't find yourself slumping nearly as often. And make sure you are getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night. We cannot stress this point enough. If you aren't getting enough sleep, your body will not only be tired, but your hormone levels and metabolism will be messed up beyond words.
It isn't just a good idea to make these changes, it is essential to your health. Do you really want to be pumping your body full of caffeine that causes cardiac arrest? The lifestyle changes you will need to make might take a little more time and you might find your caffeine addiction hard to fight at first, but you'll feel so much better in the end.
Are your ready to kick your energy drink habit?
Source: Express
