What's your go to energy stimulant when you need an extra boost for work/study?

What's your go to energy stimulant when you need an extra boost for work/study?

Nothing
4% (69 votes)
Coffee, espresso etc
40% (622 votes)
Tea
6% (87 votes)
Redbull or similar energy drink
9% (147 votes)
24 Hour Energy or similar energy shot
1% (21 votes)
Tootski
2% (25 votes)
Nootropics
3% (51 votes)
Adderall or similar
15% (241 votes)
Apples / fruit
2% (38 votes)
Excercise
6% (91 votes)
Water
9% (136 votes)
Other, add to comments
2% (38 votes)
Total votes: 1566
 

i guess it's a "what have you done for me lately" kinda thing

because of a stomach issue i was off coffee for about 4 months so i've been loving it lately. Even one cup in the morning has been giving me a great kick. planning to not get above 2 cups/day unless i really need it.

if i really had to kick it into a higher gear, i would supplement with a nootropic (have had had ok results from one) and lots water and apples. tried adderall but it kills me the next day or two.

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coffee or mate

I drink 2 cups of coffee a day (1 at breakfast, 1 after lunch), I've heard that much more than that is too much. in my opinion, the keys to staying awake are:

  1. eating the right foods at dinner so you pass out (this depends on your metabolism, for me it's carbs, for others might be different)

  2. don't drink too much

  3. get your cardio fitness up, this will lower your resting heart rate which will make you sleep easier (hard to sleep at 120bpm). plenty of calculators out there, but shoot for 50bpm

  4. don't wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle. plenty of research out there but I think the average male's is 90 minutes, so make sure you're asleep for a multiple of 90 minutes, plus 20-30 minutes to allow for time spent falling asleep

  5. learn to get out of work mode. many people have trouble forgetting the goingson of the day and thus are thinking about it constantly when they go to bed. one thing I've tried to do is leave work at work, but when that fails (often does), make a list of all of the things on your mind, and you'll find you're much more able to "let go."

 

Thanks AndyLouis and thebrofessor

I thought about taking Adderall, but frankly I don't want to risk it. Technically, I am suppose to limit my caffeine intake. Had some minor heart issues before and had a parent and a grandparent died of first time heart attacks. Can't be a multimillionaire if I am not around, so thebrofessor's advice about fitness is appreciated.

 

I've been going tea after lunch if I need a boost, gets me the energy I need and I don't get as jittery as I would with a cup of coffee. I've also been saying it for 2+ years but I really need to get back into respectable shape.

This to all my hatin' folks seeing me getting guac right now..
 

Monster use to be my go-to during exams. I still prefer Red Bull though. Have any other energy drink recommendations?

I found another energy drink earlier this year...it has zero sugar, zero calories. Perfect amount of caffeine. Doesn't give you the jitters/crash/withdrawal of coffee either. And I happen to like the additional stuff (taurine, b-vitamins etc.), makes you feel better than coffee. It comes in a bunch of flavours too! Seems perfect.

http://www.xyience.com/?fa=products.beverages

 
Lucky Charms:

Monster use to be my go-to during exams. I still prefer Red Bull though. Have any other energy drink recommendations?

I found another energy drink earlier this year...it has zero sugar, zero calories. Perfect amount of caffeine. Doesn't give you the jitters/crash/withdrawal of coffee either. And I happen to like the additional stuff (taurine, b-vitamins etc.), makes you feel better than coffee. It comes in a bunch of flavours too! Seems perfect.

http://www.xyience.com/?fa=products.beverages

There's one called "Black Pearl" that I heard is super hardcore, but that was years ago...think I saw it in a gas station a few months back. I think it is bad for you, and they may eventually find that it causes much more problems health-wise than the FDA originally thought

 

Green tea is actually better then coffee when you eat/swallow the tea leaves. Tip from Tim Ferriss. I don't do it a lot because I often skip meals and eating tea leaves must be done with food in your stomach. If you don't eat before the tea leaves it feels like you eat razor blades. Other than that it is is a better healthier alternative.

I also heard drinking Moringa is good. http://www.amazon.com/Moringa-Certified-Organic-Antioxidant-Rich-Booste…

 

what's ironic is chewing an apple on a long drive wakes me up way better than a coke does. not on the level of shotgunning a redbull or pounding a 5 hour, but it's great for staying awake and not putting garbage in your body. downside is apples are a lot messier if you just go raw dog instead of slicing it up, so watch your necktie.

 

Push ups, squats, and warm up stretches I learned back from my high school wrestling days. Drinking half a liter of water every hour is also crucial. Apart from that, I can't speak to coffee since I hate the taste. I used to take five hour energy shots regularly until their effects diminished. I don't take em anymore because of the stomach issues it'd cause as well. I've found that eating a light but filling breakfast is also helpful.

 

haha I'm a Junior in College, and I posted this on what I can confidently say was the most stressful day and worst week of my life thus far. I had a 4 midterms in 2 days. And on the day I posted this, I had woken up at 5 am to cram for my 9am test, then I had another test at 8pm which didn't end until 11:30pm, so it was a long day.

Happy to report that my mountain dew intake has markedly decreased; however, Adderall is still the greatest thing ever.

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