Keeping focused in a world full of distractions can be one of the most challenging things to do.
In the morning, you would’ve set your mind to complete your tasks within an hour, and before you know it, you’ve just spent one whole day being distracted.
But fret not as I have the solution for you, energy drinks. Yes, it’s that simple.
Energy drinks contain caffeine which is proven to stimulate your brain, thus increasing your brain functions and energy. By drinking an energy drink, you’ll get more focus and alertness, which helps you power through your day.
Read on to find out why energy drinks are a good option in helping you to maintain focus without procrastinating or getting distracted.
What Should I Look For When Choosing The Right Energy Drink?
Caffeine
Caffeine is a natural stimulant commonly found in cacao plants, tea, and coffee beans. It’s also the primary content in energy drinks that provide you with that quick jolt of energy.
You would think generous amounts of caffeine in energy drinks mean more energy for you, but that isn’t the case as it depends on your caffeine metabolism.
My limits are 50mg – 100mg per drink. For those who have a higher tolerance, yours would probably be higher.
But this doesn’t mean you get a free pass of enjoying highly caffeinated beverages regularly. Plus, it may cause you more harm than good.
Excessively consuming energy drinks that are high in caffeine may lead to a caffeine overdose which includes symptoms such as:
- Insomnia
- Anxiety or restlessness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Increased heart rate
- Headaches
- Chest pain
Once you get a caffeine overdose, you won’t be able to focus so well anymore.
So, it’s always a good idea to abide by the FDA‘s advice and keep your caffeine consumption not more than 400mg a day.
Though, you must be wondering lower doses of caffeine mean less energy for the day.
No, that’s not how it works.
You see, peak caffeine absorption happens 45 minutes after consumption. After that, it has a half-life of 5 hours.
This means that if you consume 60mg of caffeine, after 5 hours, there will still be 30mg of caffeine left inside you.
My advice is to limit yourself to no more than two cans of moderately caffeinated energy drink every day if you want to keep your focus for longer. After you’ve finished those cans, you should switch to water to keep yourself hydrated.
Sugar
Aside from caffeine, the sugar in energy drinks can also help boost your energy levels, keeping you more awake and alert during the day.
With sugar, everyone’s guilty of indulging in its sweetness, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, regularly consuming lots of sugar can be harmful to your health.
A high-sugar diet is the main contributor to health issues such as weight gain, obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. Besides, it also might lead to memory impairment and depression.
Too much sugar would also cause ‘sugar crashes’. In medical terms, it’s hypoglycaemia.
A sugar crash is when your blood sugar levels undergo a drastic drop after your body releases insulin to keep the content of glucose under control.
Symptoms of a sugar crash are as follows, according to Mayoclinic:
- Tingling or numbness at the lips, mouth and cheek
- Fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat
- Shakiness
- Anxiety
- Loss of consciousness
If you’re wondering about the amount of sugar you should be taking, here are guidelines from the AHA:
| Daily Recommended Sugar Intake | Gender |
| Less than 9 teaspoons (36g or 150 calories) per day | Male |
| Less than 6 teaspoons (25g or 100 calories) per day | Female |
Based on AHA’s guidelines, you can see how easy it is to topple over the daily limit, especially when sugar comes from other sources besides energy drinks.
This is why I prefer sugar-free energy drinks instead as I get to rev up my energy without worrying about the added sugar intake, affecting my diet.
If you’re interested in sugar-free energy drinks, check out the article I wrote on Best Sugar-Free Energy Drinks for a much healthier option.
Price
Energy drinks can be expensive, admit it.
Selecting the right energy drink can be challenging when you’re more focused on the money you need to spend on a can instead of concentrating on the tasks that need to be done.
Thankfully, there are plenty of cheap energy drinks that provide the same, if not better, effects as expensive ones.
My favorite energy drink only costs $1, including shipping. And I think it’s the best energy drink to keep my focus.
Read on to find out more about it…
Can Energy Drinks Help Me Keep Focused?
Energy drinks contain a mixture of caffeine, sugar, and other ingredients that can stimulate your brain to become more alert and awake, thus increasing your ability to focus.
That’s why you feel more refreshed after a cup of coffee or a can of Red Bull.
How it works is that energy drinks boosts your cognitive performance and decrease the feeling of fatigue for an extended period of time, according to this study.
So if you’re ever feeling worn out or drowsy, energy drinks are a great pick-me-up to get you back on your feet and restore your concentration.
That said, I’ve written a more detailed analysis on the Best Energy Drinks for Alertness which you may find helpful.
Does Caffeine Really Help With Cognitive Functions?
Caffeine is proven to help enhance your cognitive performance making it easier for you to focus and concentrate. However, you’ll only achieve this with a certain amount of caffeine and going over that limit may show negative results instead, as research suggest.
Consuming caffeine prevents the functions of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel sleepy. Thus, you’ll feel more awake and alert after.
Furthermore, this study conducted on 20 participants demonstrated that caffeine improved their memory performance and attention.
So yes, caffeine does help with your cognition as long as you be mindful of your intake.
If you wish to find out about energy drinks and cognition, head on over to the article I’ve written on the subject here.
Does Sugar Increase Alertness?
The sugar and carbs you eat will turn into glucose which fuels your brain and make you feel more alert. While it enhances your mental performance, having too much sugar can lead to unpleasant side effects.
It’s a given that excessively consuming sugar is harmful to your health, but having too little could also lead to a drop in your sugar levels. This will cause health issues such as dizziness, weakness and lightheadedness.
So, it’s always a good idea to fuel your brain and body with the right amount of sugar to get you going throughout the day.
A study performed on a group of healthy young adults showed that sugar can improve certain aspects of cognitive functions, namely long-term verbal and spatial memory performance.
That said, I didn’t mean you should start binging on candies, cookies, ice cream and even energy drinks. You’ll eventually get a sugar crash.
Remember, sugar needs to be taken in moderation.
It’s also one of the features you’ll have to keep an eye out for when you’re picking out the right energy drink. Good thing sugar-free energy drinks are sold in the market nowadays.
Can Energy Drinks Help Me With Pulling An All-Nighter For School?
Energy drinks make a great companion during those late-night revisions as they help you focus and improves your concentration, mainly due to their caffeine content.
Energy drinks also contain other beneficial ingredients such as taurine, B vitamins and carnitine. This combination is proven to reduce the perceived stress levels among students.
Other than that, a study conducted on ten graduate students discovered positive effects on their mood and mental performance after drinking a can of Red Bull energy drink.
This explains why many college students opt for energy drinks when they have a deadline or exam coming.
So, grab a can of energy drink when you’re studying because when you feel energized and motivated, you can concentrate better, and for a more in-depth look, check out my article on the best energy drinks for late-night studying, for some notable recommendations.
Can Energy Drinks Help Me With Driving For Long Hours?
Energy drinks can increase your energy which helps keeps you awake during your long journey. A study performed on truck drivers showed that energy drinks enhanced their driving performance and decreased sleepiness.
I’d recommend stocking up your vehicle with two to three cans of energy drinks that contain moderate amounts of caffeine to keep yourself vigilant and focused on the road if you’re planning to drive through the night.
If you’re interested in reading more about the Best Energy Drink For A Long Drive, check out the article I’ve written.
Best Energy Drinks To Keep Focused
| Energy Drink Brands | Volume | Caffeine | Sugar |
| NOS Energy | 16 fl.oz | 160mg | 54g |
| Zevia Zero Calorie | 12 fl.oz | 120mg | 0g |
| Mountain Dew Kickstart | 16 fl.oz | 90mg | 20g |
| REIZE (10 out of 10) | Customisable | 50mg | 0g |
NOS Original Energy Drink
Caffeine Content: 160mg caffeine
Sugar Content: 54g sugars
Price: Around $2
With 160mg of caffeine, I feel that NOS Energy goes way above my daily caffeine limit. But if you’re someone with relatively high caffeine tolerance, NOS Energy makes a great energy booster.
Not to mention, its 54g of sugar and other beneficial ingredients, like vitamins and amino acids, will definitely be an added advantage.
But I strongly recommend sticking to just one can of NOS Energy as you’ll go over the maximum daily sugar limit when you have multiple cans at once.
It also can cost from $1.60 – $3, which I personally feel is a bit pricey.
But if you’re really in need of a big energy boost to maintain your attentiveness for long periods of time, NOS Energy Drink may be for you.
Zevia Zero Calorie Energy Drink
Caffeine Content: 120mg
Sugar Content: 0g
Price: Around $2
Zevia Zero-Calorie is vegan, gluten-free, and absent of artificial sweeteners. It also has a modest caffeine content of 120mg, which I personally think is a plus, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine.
In terms of price, one can cost you about $2, which I think it’s a tad over my budget for an energy drink.
However, if you like energy drinks that are sugar-free with a more stimulating effect, Zevia Zero-Calorie Energy will make a good option for your diet.
Mountain Dew Kickstart
Caffeine Content: 90mg
Sugar Content: 20g
Price: Around $2
Going lower on the caffeine spectrum here with Mountain Dew Kickstart, which only has 90mg of caffeine per serving. I think that’s a modest amount of caffeine that will surely boost your energy and concentration.
Though for those with high caffeine metabolism, just one can may not energise you enough.
While it also has a pretty healthy dose of just 20g of sugar, Mountain Dew Kickstart actually uses High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) instead of table sugar.
The downside to this is that HFCS is believed to contain more negative effects compared to regular sugar. Plus, it can still cause health issues such as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.
That said, I strongly advise you to drink Mountain Dew Kickstart only when you need that extra kick of concentration and limit yourself to only one can a day.
REIZE Energy Drink
Caffeine Content: 50mg
Sugar Content: Zero
Price:Around $1 per sachet
REIZE Energy Drink my favourite energy drink of all time.
Let me tell you why…
REIZE is a powdered energy drink that comes in sachets, which you can mix into a glass of water. That makes it easier to bring around when I’m on the go.
It only has 50mg of caffeine, is sugar-free with only 11 calories per serving. REIZE definitely helps keep me alert and awake without leaving me with crashes afterwards.
It also contains a sensible blend of taurine, ginseng and vitamin B, a great combo for a smooth energy boost.
The best part is that REIZE ships straight to your door for only around $1, which is great value for money.
So, take your shot with REIZE and you might agree that it’s the best energy drink to keep your focus.