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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.

Finals are just around the corner and you’re probably stocking up on that coffee. Turns out, coffee probably isn’t the best to turn to when you’re looking for an energy boost to keep you studying through the night. The caffeine increases your stress hormones, which provoke the release of cortisol and increases insulin. The insulin, in turn, increases inflammation, causing you to feel lousy. Talk about a domino effect, right? To sum it up, yes: coffee can give you an energy boost, but it will also add to your stress, and may make you feel too cruddy to proceed with your work. So what are the alternatives? 

1.     Start your day off with a workout

Rolling out of bed and lacing up your Nikes may not sound ideal when you first open your eyes in the morning but studies show that going for a morning run not only boosts your energy levels, but also your mood. You don’t even need to go on a crazy seven mile run to see results, a simple ten minute workout is sufficient enough to release endorphins to make you feeling good and prepared for the day ahead. After all, a healthy body is a healthy mind.

2.     Take a cold shower

This, too, may sound like a horrible suggestion, but it turns out that a sudden alteration in temperature can alleviate stress and make you more alert. If the idea of drenching your whole body in cold water makes you cringe, then just splash some on your face. It won’t have the same results, but will still wake you up.

3.     Drink some chilled H2O

A cold glass of water is shown to trigger the release of adrenaline and boost blood flow to your brain. Your head will be back in the game and ready to continue studying.

4.     Brighten up your study space

Studies show that exposure to bright lights during the nighttime result in nocturnal alertness and performance. Turn on all of the lights around you; it’ll get your body and mind thinking it’s time to get up and working. Exposing yourself to natural sunlight will work even better than artificial light.

5.     Stimulate your brain

Give yourself a quick yet beneficial study break by playing Sudoku, completing a crossword puzzle, or even writing in your journal. Stimulation of the brain leaves it feeling more alert.

6.     Say no to carbs for breakfast

Eating a ton of carbohydrates during breakfast is just a recipe to end up passing out asleep a few hours later. Some good alternatives to indulge in are eggs, vegetables, and fruits…. NOT bagels or cereal.

7.     Snack on an apple

Apples have natural sugars that wake you up, but because of their fiber, they move slowly through your body and will not cause you to crash later, like carbs do.

8.     Call up a friend or family member

It is proven that chatting with anyone you have a close personal connection to aids in charging up your energy levels and decrease your level of stress. Take a quick five minute break and catch up your best friend from home or your lovely mother, you deserve to unwind for a bit.

Saba is a third year student at University of California, Davis where she is majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior. She is the former Editor in Chief and Campus Correspondent at her school's branch of Her Campus, where she served from March 2016 to March 2017. She hopes to attain an MD one day, specialize in ob/gyn and later work on public health policies, especially those regarding women's health and reproductive rights.
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