Do you use coffee to propel your day? If so, there’s also a good chance that you’re under a lot of stress. Did you know that, despite providing caffeine for energy, coffee boosts levels of stress hormones in your body?
These hormones can make you feel more strained than you did before and leave you feeling wired and worn out after you wrap up the day. Thankfully, just because you’re under stress doesn’t mean you have to drop your coffee.
In fact, you can still get all the benefits of caffeine and a dose of relaxation as well by adding either L-theanine supplement or rhodiola rosea powder into your daily routine.
L-theanine and rhodiola rosea can take you to the next level by giving you a boost in focus and energy while smoothing over stress and helping you relax.
What is L-Theanine?
L-theanine is an amino acid that is found in tea, albeit in low levels. For a maximum benefit, however, you’ll want to get a high quality L-theanine extract that can be found in bulk powder form.
L-theanine has been shown to increase alpha-wave activity in the brain; this activity peaks during meditation and other states of deep relaxation.
On their own, L-theanine supplements produce the following benefits:
- Improved mental calmness and clarity
- Improved memory
- Increased learning capacity
- Reduced stress
The energy and focus provided by caffeine are combined with L-theanine’s relaxation properties to create a state of driven, motivated flow that’s free from edginess or stress.
By using a dosage of 2:1 with your caffeine intake (200mg L-theanine to 100mg coffee or other caffeine supplement, for example) you capture an amplified version of the same synergy used for thousands of years by monks who used tea to improve meditation.
What is Rhodiola Rosea?
Rhodiola rosea is a plant native to cold climates in the northern hemisphere. The plant can be consumed by itself, in a tea, or most conveniently, in extract supplement form. The plants are loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols that fight off free radicals and increase the levels of serotonin and other mood-elevating chemicals in the brain.
Rhodiola supplements are known adaptogens, meaning they help your body adapt to stress and mitigate the negative mental and physical effects normally felt during stressful situations.
Like L-theanine, rhodiola is another supplement with use dating back thousands of years. Most notably, rhodiola was used by Vikings to help them recover and maintain a strong state during long campaigns.
Benefits of rhodiola rosea supplements include:
- Reduced fatigue
- Increased mental performance
- Lessened mental and physical impact of stress
- Improved mood
Rhodiola can help you to enjoy the energy, motivation, and focus provided by caffeine but offset the negative effects. If you really want to hammer away at stress, try starting with a dosage of 250mg and working your way up as needed.
If you’re a daily coffee drinker, the thought of going without a morning (or afternoon) cup of coffee is probably enough to increase stress on its own. Luckily, that doesn’t have to be a problem and you can relax— nobody is going to take your coffee away! Adding one or both of these supplements to your routine can help you feel less stressed, think more clearly, and feel better overall.
