Assessment
Skip the Afternoon Coffee
Replace it with a caffeine-free pick-me-up
Oliver Rossi/Getty Images
Quick Win
Late-in-the-day coffee can disrupt sleep. When the afternoon energy slump hits, rev up with one of these alternatives.
Try This Today
- Move your body. Take a short walk — outside if possible, where you’ll get the benefits of fresh air and daylight along with exercise. Walking indoors or climbing stairs works, too!
- Listen to music. Your favorite melodies may help to ease mental fatigue. Experiment to see what works for you.
- Chew gum. Believe it or not, research suggests that chewing gum can increase alertness and ease fatigue. (Blowing bubbles is optional.)
Why
A cup of joe can help you shake off sleep in the morning and power through projects. But caffeine’s effects can linger in the body, and older adults may be especially sensitive to it. Leaving about nine hours between your last cup of coffee and bedtime is best for protecting your sleep, according to a 2023 meta-analysis reported in Sleep Medicine Reviews. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of substitutes for an afternoon energy boost. For example, as strange as it sounds, chewing gum can briefly boost alertness and activate areas of the brain linked to memory function, according to a review of 32 brain imaging studies published in Brain Sciences in 2025.
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