Being a long term coffee addict, I have been interested to see the brain science research that is coming out about the benefits of coffee. Not only am I less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease, but the antioxidants that coffee contains, are going to make me happier and my powers of concentration are improved.
A US study conducted by the National Institute of Health, found that those who drink four or more cups of coffee, were about 10 percent less likely to be depressed than those who had never indulged. According to their study it was not the caffeine, but rather the antioxidants that produced this affect.
Researchers at the Seoul National University examined the brains of rats who were stressed with sleep deprivation and discovered that those who were exposed to coffee aromas experienced changes in the brain proteins tied to sleep deprivation stress. This caused them to be less stressed. No wonder I love the smell of that freshly brewed coffee in the morning.
For me the most important effect of my favourite addiction, is that it improves my memory. If you are like me this needs all the improvement it can get. In 2012 the Daily Mirror reported on a study conducted by Lead researcher and assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Dr Michael Yassa, who said: “We’ve always known that caffeine has cognitive-enhancing effects, but its particular effects on strengthening memories and making them resistant to forgetting has never been examined in detail, in humans”. After conducting experiments on 100 volunteers they discovered that this research provides the first clear evidence that drinking 200mg of caffeine may help drinkers retain information for over 24 hours.
Harris Lieberman, a research psychologist at the Military Nutrition Division of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, after researching the effects of caffeine, suggests that it tends to energize people and help them focus on boring and repetitive tasks, even if when they are well rested.
Scientists at the Medical University in Innsbruck, Austria, found that men performed significantly better in short-term memory tests after being given a dose of caffeine equivalent to about two cups of coffee.
So what are the implications for the modern work force? Maybe good quality coffee should be mandatory in every work place. This information certainly has implications for training, and that is for all who want it, a good strong cup of coffee before a training session, is a great way to get your employees to retain more of the information provided.
Looking forward to having a coffee with you soon.
Cheers,
David Bromilow MD
NationalTalent Partners