One Of Those Days*

*This is a collaborative post*

So it's a Monday morning, you've dragged yourself from the comfort of your bed, the weather's awful and you're about to have a fight with the hairdryer that's been threatening to die for months! Work is looming in just over an hour, you've barely time for breakfast and all you know is that you are already feeling more tired than you have ever felt before. Sound familiar? Bring on the coffee fix!

If you're prone to experiencing this kind of morning, you're probably the kind of person who - like me - heads straight to the coffee machine as soon as you arrive in work. Never mind who's watching, you'll gladly heap spoonfuls of that magical ground bean into your favourite mug, before clinging to the warmth and inevitable pick me up it will provide. And hey who can blame you? Everyone knows that coffee helps your concentration levels and gives a much needed boost. I have a steady stream of the stuff coming my direction throughout the working day. By coffee number six, I've usually got the caffeine jitters, I'm feeling on edge but it's okay because I'll have just about managed to get through the hefty pile of paperwork on my desk.

On it's own, especially if drunk in large quantities, caffeine can produce all sorts of negative effects and will make you feel jittery. Not only that but it will raise your heart rate and blood pressure.

By clocking out time I'll be feeling wired. Sure I got through the day, I cleared the horrendously large workload, and I feel as if I've achieved success on a par with an Olympic athlete. I am in that moment indebted to the coffee makers of the world. But once home, I just can't relax or wind down. Bed time arrives and I lie there, staring at the ceiling, mind wandering. When it seems as if I've finally fallen asleep, the alarm clock shocks me back into the land of the living and I've got to do it all over again. Never mind that I feel drained and headachy, a cup of coffee will sort that out!

This may or may not resonate with you, but if it does I have a fantastic alternative.

With a supplement such as L-Theanine, you'll still get all the positives you love from your coffee (such as better concentration and energy levels) but minus the negative side-effects. Sounds great right? L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea and is a popular Nootropic. It contains relaxing properties and works to counter-act the negative effects of caffeine. The Focus Supplements website refers to this product as a 'sweet sense of calm focus.'

Taking one in a morning will help to give you the 'kick start' you need. It's recommended that you take one to two capsules per day leaving an ample gap in between doses. L-Theanine is a great 'pick me up' that can help you get through your working day, minus the manic feeling that us coffee drinkers can often experience. Not only that but without the dramatic highs and lows caused by your bittersweet coffee addiction, you might find that once home, you're able to actually relax too! Here's hoping.