We reported in our August 29, 2008 post that moderate coffee drinking is good for the health, and may improve short-term memory. Standing by our commitment to give you the "latest," here goes: a December 1, 2008 article from the New York Times reports that an afternoon nap works better than your cup of strong coffee.

This was the finding of a study "Comparing the benefits of caffeine, naps and placebo on verbal, motor and perceptual memory," by a group of researchers at the University of California in San Diego.

61 people were tested to compare the declarative verbal memory, procedural motor skills, and perceptual performances of those who had caffeine, to those who only took a nap, and to those who were given a placebo. For verbal tasks, the group was asked to memorize a list of words, for motor skills, they were trained to tap a keyboard in a specific sequence, and for the perceptual task, they were trained to discriminate shapes on a computer screen. After the training, the participants were then randomly divided into three groups: one group was given a 200-milligram caffeine pill, another group took a nap from 1 to 3 pm, and the third group was given placebo.

The result: Those who took a nap scored better in the verbal tasks (word recall) compared to those who took caffeine and placebo pills. Motor skills are significantly impaired for those who took caffeine compared to those who took a nap and those who were given placebo. In perceptual learning tests, those who were given placebo (but did not nap and didn't get caffeine pills) fared poorly compared to those who took a nap or who were given a placebo.

Sarah C. Mednick, research team leader and assistant professor of Psychiatry said, "People think they are smarter on caffeine," but, as the research's abstract says, "These findings provide evidence of the limited benefits of caffeine for memory improvement compared with napping."

Do we hear a collective protest from coffee lovers over this?

P.S. Check out "How to Boost Your Energy Without Caffeine"

WATER

Your body is composed mostly of water (60% of your weight). However, can you imagine how little water some people drink each day? Losing even as little as 1 to 2 percent of water from your body weight (mild dehydration) can sap your energy and make you feel tired. Some of the signs of dehydration include fatigue, headache, muscle weakness, dizziness, and lightheadedness.

OK, Buddy, you don't need coffee. You need water. Drink enough water to keep your brain and body primed.

SUNLIGHT

Think cloudy day vs. bright sunny day. See how the former makes you feel glum while the latter is associated with the upbeat feel-good, outdoorsy live-life-to-the-fullest mood? Sunlight triggers serotonin that controls sleep patterns, body temperatures, improves sex drive, good mood, and wards off depression.

Sunlight helps your body manufacture vitamin D. Vitamin D increases oxygen in your blood. This, in turn, increases your energy, sharpens your mind, and makes you feel good. If you don't have the benefits of a natural sunlight in your workplace, having brighter lightings would help keep you more alert than working in a dim environment.

HEALTHY DIET AND EXERCISE

We need not remind you that you are what you eat. Having a healthy diet and regular exercise means a well-conditioned body, increased energy, improvements in your body functions, strengthened immune system, and better weight.

Doesn't this make you feel light-footed already?

GOOD DISPOSITION

Stress and depression are issues you need to deal with promptly. And no, you can't drown them with coffee. Being a pessimist gets you feeling old and grumpy. Don't be overly negative over things. Have you heard of the phrase, "Bring your own sunshine"?

Don't let bad incidents let you down--that's the difference between a whiner and a winner.

TAKE A NAP

New studies have shown that napping improves verbal, perceptual, and motor skills. See ("New Report: Napping Better than Coffee as Picker-Upper')

BOOST YOURSELF WITH iMusic WAKEUP SUITE

Skip that trip to the coffee shop and invigorate yourself to a fresh, energized and razor-sharp mind-state. iMusic WakeUp Suite is a comprehensive physiological activation system that does not only turbo-charge you in a matter of minutes, but also trains your brain and balances your brainwaves for a better performing you.

(Updated: Dec. 11, 2008)