There is a reason that in every college campus and hospital you will find a virtually endless amount of students and staff walking around with their coffee thermos. There is nothing that compares to the warm embrace of a cup of joe when you need that extra brainpower to work through your third all-nighter hitting the books or attending to your patients.
Depending on the level of intake, coffee can help enhance cognition, such as memory, alertness, concentration, and overall mental performance. Coffee’s compounds include a lot of antioxidants. These help fight damage caused by free radicals in your body cells and help prevent impairment of your cognitive function. Caffeine (the primary ingredient in coffee) stimulates the central nervous system through the release of neurotransmitters and leads to an increase in resting brain entropy that increases one’s information processing capacity. We interviewed Nora Tobin, performance enhancement and executive coach, nutrition specialist, and CEO of Nora’s Naturals Coffee, who lists three major cognitive benefits of coffee.
This Is How Coffee Can Improve Your Cognitive Health and Mood
1) Improved Mood
Drinking coffee can improve your overall mood by boosting energy levels and improving willpower, focus, and memory. Caffeine in the drink stimulates your central nervous system, which in turn, boosts your overall brain function. Getting a cup is a great option to turn to if you need a quick pick-me-up.
2) Brain Protection
Research suggests that moderate consumption per day is associated with a significant decrease in the risk of developing brain diseases. It also helps with cognitive decline, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It can also sharpen memory and focus and keep the brain well.
3) Improved Mental Health
Coffee is a delicious beverage to enjoy throughout the day. It also provides benefits to an individual’s mental health. This may be due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and microbiome-promoting effects. The caffeine in coffee has the added ability to block receptors in the brain. This prevents them from binding with a chemical that leads to fatigue and a saddened mood.
