Illustration from Pixabay
by Elizabeth Magee, LRD
Summer days wearing you down? Start hitting a wall at 3:00? Hitting snooze 8 times in a row every morning?
We’re tired. We wake up, and go, go, go. There never seems to be a dull moment, a minute to catch up or any downtime.
What do we do when we want more energy? Turn to caffeine. And its not just adults anymore. Kids are looking to caffeine for a wake-up call or just because they have so many options that taste good and are readily available.
Are they helping? Are they good for us? Are they safe?
I know when I wake up, the first thing I want is coffee. And I drink it. It never actually feels like it helps wake me up. Same for the afternoon when I’m reaching for a Diet Dew. I fully enjoy it, but it’s not like I feel like a new woman who’s energized and ready for the next task. Maybe it’s not that way for you, but I’ve found some other ways to get energized, just in case you want to cut back on caffeine.
- Move! So obvious, but not as obvious as reaching for a super caffeinated beverage is for some reason. Get up, get moving. Go for a walk, take a stroll around the block – it doesn’t have to be a huge commitment.
- Eat an apple. The crunch is stimulating, not to mention a fiber and vitamin boost. It’s a perfect snack for natural energy.
- Take in some deep breaths. Step away from your day, pause and take it in. Think about breathing in new air for energy, and exhaling that tired, stale air.
- Step outside – maybe its for a walk, maybe its just a different view for work. Let the sunlight sink in.
- My favorite – if you can, take a nap!! 15 minutes might do you good.
These are simple things, available to everyone, including kids. They are reaching for caffeine far more than I recall doing. Energy drinks didn’t even exist when I was a kid. The first one I remember was Red Bull and I swear I was in college when that became popular.
I see kids drinking energy drinks much too regularly. And when I see teens for nutrition talks, we dive into energy drinks. Nearly every teen in those classes admits to drinking them daily. Some more than one per day. That’s scary. But our kids don’t see them as scary. They can buy them anywhere, they don’t have to show ID, they love the taste, and they’re legal.
What could be the harm? Here’s the shortlist:
- Anxiety (and so many kids are dealing with this before the energy drinks)
- Heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat
- Dehydration
- Not being able to sleep
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that adolescents SHOULD NOT CONSUME energy drinks, yet we know they are.
400 mg of caffeine/day is what is deemed safe for healthy adults. There’s really no amount deemed safe for kids (though it has been said 100 mg/day for teens since we know they are consuming products with caffeine).
There are a lot of drinks our kids are drinking that have 250 mg caffeine in one can. Remember that some have more than one per day. It’s scary to think about them getting way too much of something like that.
Are they tired? Yes. Are there other ways to combat that without these drinks? YES. See above. But also think about good sleep hygiene. Our kids need adequate sleep worked into their days, which probably includes limiting screen time. But better sleep improves so many things. It may be worth the battle at the end of the day to fight for that sleep routine. And sometimes just say no to events and activities.
We shouldn’t have to count on caffeine to get us through the day!! Wouldn’t taking a nap or going to bed earlier just feel so much better??
E
lizabeth Magee is a licensed registered dietitian. Her posts appear monthly on OYT.
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