We’re doing coffee wrong?

Zacharias Korsalka

Hit the local coffee shop, convenience store or supermarket and you’ll quickly be reminded there’s a caffeinated beverage for every demographic. And no wonder: caffeine jump-starts the body and sharpens the mind. But studies suggest that we’re doing it wrong. For optimal brain gain, smaller coffee breaks are more effective than a 20-ounce French roast sucked down in lieu of breakfast. In one study, test subjects reported that periodic small shots made them feel clearheaded and calm, both of which enhance mental performance.