Long drives are often considered to be therapeutic where you wanderlust looking for an adventure. It helps your brain relax from all the negativities surrounding you.
Long drives, unfortunately, can easily lead to drowsiness due to their monotony.
The noise of the road or the silence achieved by your fellow passengers can both drive you to sleep. It’s critical to stay alert behind the wheel for safety reasons.
You might be able to stay awake on long car journeys if you take help from energy drinks.
Monster, Red Bull, Rockstar, and a slew of other energy drink brands offer sugary, caffeinated beverages that seem to kick in instantly after intake. Even though several of these brands advertise themselves as having incredibly nutritious products, many contain far from healthy ingredients.
Although most drivers prefer coffee to keep themselves awake during long drives, I personally believe that energy drinks are a superior alternative to coffee for providing a burst of energy when driving.
Energy drinks taste better, are more convenient, are typically less expensive, and you won’t burn yourself if you spill some on your lap when multitasking while driving.
Please keep reading to know my choice of energy drinks that can help you with long drives.
Ingredients in an Energy Drink that can help you Stay Awake
It’s a recipe for disaster to try to start your day without providing your body with enough energy.
Your body switches to a sleep state at night and all your muscles relax. It’s unrealistic to expect your body to adjust as soon as you get out of bed.
It’s similar to attempting to jump-start a car that has been sitting in the cold all night.
It is essential to look out for ingredients that have the property of providing you with a burst of energy instantly, with no jitters or crashes, this might be more tricky than expected.
Caffeine
If you read the back label of any energy drink, you’ll notice that it contains caffeine. The most crucial ingredient in an energy drink is caffeine, which keeps you awake and aware after consuming it.
Caffeine can help you stay alert while driving in a variety of ways. Caffeine is a short-term diuretic, which is the first advantage. This implies that you’ll want to go to the washroom a lot. So you’ll probably have to keep stopping at every gas station you see.
When you’re attempting to stay awake while driving, being uncomfortable is a good thing since it forces you to stop.
Energy drinks with between 50mg and 100mg of caffeine, in my opinion, are ideal for long-distance driving. However, your caffeine tolerance levels will play a significant role in this.
If you have a high caffeine tolerance, an amount like this may not affect you. You would want to consume approximately 200-300mg of caffeine, which might significantly impact your health if taken regularly.
Increasing your caffeine intake can cause:
- Addiction
- Nausea
- Headache
- Cardiovascular Pain
- Chest Pain
- Hallucinations
- Renal Failure
- Convulsions
According to the recommendation by FDA, you should not consume more than 400mg of caffeine per day.
Electrolytes
You might be wondering what electrolytes have to do with energy drinks and how they can keep us awake. Let me explain to you further.
Electrolytes have a lot of advantages that some people tend to overlook. Long drives can dehydrate you and cause you to lose both water and sodium.
Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals and substances that help your body accomplish a variety of processes, including energy production and muscular contraction. Sodium, chloride, potassium, and calcium are examples of electrolytes.
Not all energy drinks contain electrolytes, yet a few famous ones such as Rowdy, Rockstar Recovery, and Raze Energy Drink contain electrolytes.
Electrolytes keep your body hydrated, which minimizes your chances of being weary, especially when engaging in strenuous activity. It also guarantees that your nerves and muscles are in proper working order. All of this contributes to your feeling more energized.
Sugar
When selecting an energy drink for a long journey, keeping an eye on the sugar amount should be your prime concern since the sugar in energy drinks causes orexin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that keeps us active and alert, to be released, which is repressed when blood sugar levels rise rapidly.
Although sugar-free versions are becoming increasingly available, many energy drinks are still high in sugar. Switching to sugar-free conversions can help you avoid a terrible energy slump.
The thing is that any energy drink containing more than 20 grams of sugar will give you a quick burst of energy but will leave you tired when you stop drinking it.
The disadvantages of consuming high-content sugary energy drinks are:
- Weight Gain
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Gout
- Increased risk of premature death
Hydration – An addition to make with Energy Drinks
When on a road trip, it’s easy to overlook the need to stay hydrated, but failing to do so can be pretty dangerous. Drinking plenty of water is just as vital as having an energy drink during a long drive.
Dry eyes, tiredness, impaired vision, and even double vision are all possible side effects of dehydration. If you’re driving, these side effects could be hazardous. Drinking plenty of water can help you stay in the game for the long haul.
There’s no denying that you’ll have to stop more than you’d like to use the restroom, but it’s better than driving dehydrated and exhausted.
Water not only hydrates your body but also boosts your energy levels naturally.
The Best Energy Drinks for a Long Drive – Overview
I’ve compiled a list of the best energy drinks to help you enjoy your road trip. Let’s have a look at how much caffeine and sugar they have.
Red Bull
A single 8.4 fl. oz. can of Red Bull provides 80mg of caffeine, which is plenty to keep you alert on a lengthy drive, in my opinion.
One of the many advantages of Red Bull is that it contains electrolytes. Sodium balances fluids in the body. This beverage may also improve your mood and help reduce depression to an extent since it contains four B vitamins.
The only issue I have with Red Bull energy is that it includes far too much sugar for my liking, which can lead to a sugar crash later on. However, this isn’t much of a problem because you can just switch to the sugar-free Red Bull.
Rockstar Recovery
Rockstar Recovery is a non-carbonated beverage with electrolytes for flavor, a 100% daily dose of Vitamin B, 20 calories, and 160 mg of caffeine to help you recover for the next challenge.
Its high caffeine content is enough to eradicate your drowsiness and fatigue during a long drive.
It comprises sodium, potassium, and calcium electrolytes that aid in providing a boost of energy-boosting carbs.
The sugar content is relatively high, which should be consumed to a limit to avoid sugar crashes later on.
Monster
Monster Energy Drink is an incredible blend of energy-boosting chemicals that give you a quick boost whenever you drink it.
A single 16-ounce can of Monster contains 160 milligrams of caffeine, which should keep you alert until you get to your destination.
Monster energy drink contains sodium which acts as a source of electrolyte and aids in maintaining the body’s fluid equilibrium.
In my opinion, Monster energy’s only drawback is that it includes too much sugar. This will not only induce a sugar crash later on, but it will also be detrimental to your health.
I especially wouldn’t recommend this drink to people with diabetes as this much sugar could definitely be hazardous.
Rowdy
By staying hydrated, Rowdy gives long-lasting energy. It contains approximately 12 times the potassium per ounce of the leading traditional sports drinks, but only a fourth of the salt.
This sugar-free beverage is vitamin-infused, plant-based, keto-friendly, vegan, and contains 0g of sugar and only 5 calories, making it a tremendous energy drink.
It mixes 160mg of natural caffeine with the nootropic L-Theanine produced from Green Tea to provide you with long-lasting focus and a robust boost without the crash.
Things to Consider During a Long Drive
Long drives can be exhausting, especially for drivers who constantly jam their feet to the ground and sit still in a standard position. It’s essential to note a few things that can help you with your drive.
Walk Around
Make the most of the rest spots and landmarks on your way to your destination.
Just like recess and gym courses are designed to assist elementary students to refocus, getting up and walking will help keep your body energized when you sit back down.
Walking is an excellent strategy to enhance or maintain your health. Just a few miles a day, you may improve your cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your bones, lose weight, and increase your muscle power and endurance.
Temperature
Warmth and coziness can generate a false desire to sleep. Have you ever tried to sleep while it was freezing outside?
You can startle your senses and wake up your entire body by lowering the temperature in the car by a few degrees. The colder, the better if you’re genuinely fatigued.
Consider rolling down the windows while you drive; the wind sounds will be beneficial and soothing to your ears.
Other Healthy Energy Drink Options to Try Out
Long drives are opted for once in a while, yet an energy drink that is healthy enough to be consumed daily is what the consumers demand. Here is an overview of different options you can try for healthy energy drinks, in my opinion.
Runa Clean Energy
Runa is a terrific alternative energy drink since it’s low in calories and sugars; it contains an energy-boosting ingredient from the Amazon rainforest: Guayusa, a “super leaf” rich in organic caffeine and antioxidants.
Guayusa has been shown to be helpful in reducing the risk of diabetes and heart disease while also enhancing overall energy.
Celsius
Celsius Original contains 200mg of caffeine, 10 calories, is sugar-free, and contains an entire supply of vitamins and minerals in a 12 fl. oz can.
Various quantities of caffeine and calories, as well as different ingredients, are found in the other Celsius product lines.
Conclusion
During long drives, no one likes to be tired. As a result, you might want to consider drinking energy drinks to make your trip more memorable. I recommend Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar Recovery, and Rowdy for long drives. But do drink them responsibly due to their extremely high sugar content.
If you haven’t had enough sleep, you shouldn’t drink energy drinks because they will make you anxious. It’s a good idea to read the label on any energy drink to make sure you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients.
Also, remember to get some fresh air, bring some healthy food, and drink enough water to keep everything light and, at the same time, refreshing.
Other Notable Mentions
- Redline Xtreme
- Blue Rebel
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