:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Health-GettyImages-2200040985-ff2e72c10d984fc6a8fc851e982e4b14.jpg "A young woman holds a ceramic mug to her mouth and looks ahead, smiling softly.")
Credit: ABRAHAM GONZALEZ FERNANDEZ / Getty Images
- Some drinks, like coffee and tea, naturally contain compounds such as caffeine and L-theanine. These compounds may help support focus.
- Water is the most important drink for attention. The brain is about 75% water, so even mild dehydration can affect focus.
- Other drinks that can help improve focus include coffee, green tea, matcha, black tea, yerba mate, cocoa, and high-protein smoothies.
Coffee contains caffeine, which stimulates the brain and can increase attention. However, too much coffee can also increase jitteriness and anxiety in some people. Other morning drinks can support energy and focus.
1. Water
Seventy-five percent of the brain is water. Losing 1–2% of body water can significantly affect cognitive performance. It can make it harder to think clearly, focus, remember information, and make decisions.
Studies show that going 12 hours without water can reduce alertness and reaction time. A 2021 study found that drinking 500 milliliters of water before bed and another 500 milliliters in the morning improved alertness and reaction speed.
2. Green Tea
Green tea is made by infusing green tea leaves in hot water. It contains both caffeine and L-theanine, an amino acid.
Combining caffeine and L-theanine can have a greater impact on focus than caffeine alone.
Caffeine is a strong stimulant, while L-theanine has calming effects. Some studies suggest that L-theanine may help reduce caffeine’s side effects, such as sleep problems and increased blood pressure.
Green tea and black tea also usually have higher L-theanine levels than white and oolong tea.
Additionally, green tea is a lower-caffeine alternative to coffee for people who experience side effects from caffeine. One cup of green tea contains roughly 30 milligrams of caffeine, while one cup of coffee contains about 92 milligrams.
Green tea is also rich in antioxidants such as catechins. Studies suggest that these compounds may help reduce inflammation and support cognitive function.
Keep green tea in a dark, cool, and dry place to maximize antioxidant content. Brewing it in 176–185°F (80–85°C) water for 2–3 minutes can help preserve more antioxidants.
3. Matcha
Matcha is a type of green tea made by grinding whole tea leaves into a fine powder. It provides more caffeine and L-theanine than regular green tea because the entire leaf is consumed.
4. Yerba Mate
Yerba mate is a traditional drink from South America. It is made from the dried leaves of a plant called Ilex paraguariensis. It usually contains similar amounts of caffeine to coffee. Cold brewing yerba mate usually results in a higher caffeine content.
Yerba mate also contains a compound called theobromine. It is chemically similar to caffeine, but it acts as a milder stimulant.
Theobromine is also found in plants such as cocoa and in smaller amounts in tea.
5. Hot Cocoa
Cocoa contains small amounts of caffeine, but it is a good source of theobromine.
A 2017 study found that brewed cocoa can reduce attention-related errors. It also showed that adding caffeine to cocoa can further improve focus and reduce the anxiety effects sometimes seen when caffeine is consumed alone.
6. High-Protein Smoothies
The brain uses glucose (sugar) for energy. Changes in blood sugar levels can affect mental clarity and focus in the short term. Blood sugar control also affects overall brain health in the long term.
Eating balanced meals or snacks can help prevent sharp rises and falls in blood sugar and reduce energy crashes.
As a drink option, high-protein smoothies without added sugars may help support a steadier release of energy compared to energy drinks that contain caffeine and added sugars.
