What defines "THE BEST" energy drink for night shift?
If you’ve ever wondered what to drink to help keep you awake on the night shift, this list is for you. While making the list of the best energy drinks for night shift, I used three criteria: 1) the drink has to be a top-selling brand, 2) it has to have the right amount of caffeine, and 3) it has to have other ingredients science has proven effective for boosting attention.
I know you have many, many choices when it comes to caffeinated beverages, but by sticking with the top-selling brands, you can be sure these brands taste good and are easy to find at grocery stores and gas stations. And, while caffeine does all the heavy lifting keeping you awake, there are several other ingredients that can be Robin to caffeine’s Batman.
Short on time? Download the Night Shift Energy Boost Shopping List – Includes the best energy drinks, ready-to-drink coffees, bottled teas, energy drink alternatives, AND some guidelines for healthier swaps
Energy Boosting Ingredients
If you want to overcome tiredness and get more energy working night shift, caffeine (and a short nap) is the most effective. But if taking a short nap isn’t possible, what should you drink to help keep you awake? To answer this question, we turn to science.
The good news is there are plenty of research papers on energy supplements for night shift workers and for the military.
The even better news is I’ve done all the hard work for you by reading this research! I’ll spare you the details and summarize the important parts.
The following ingredients help you pay attention, even when sleep-deprived. This comes from a systematic review, which is a meticulous summary of what all the other research papers have to say about this topic.
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- Caffeine – optimal dose, 200 mg
- Tyrosine – optimal dose, 2 grams (2,000 mg)
- Guarana – optimal dose, 75 mg
- Ginkgo Biloba – optimal dose, 120 mg
- Ginseng – optimal dose, 200 mg
- B-vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 – optimal dose, 100% DV
- Theanine – optimal dose, 200 mg
- SUGAR FREE – research suggests sugar + caffeine can make you MORE tired than caffeine alone