Coffee, Cold Water and Real Energy

Rethinking Your Morning Ritual

Today is International Women’s Day, a day that celebrates strength, resilience and the quiet power women carry through life.

Many of us juggle so many roles like work, family, caring for others and often the one thing that gets sacrificed is our own energy and rest.

When fatigue hits, the natural reflex is to reach for coffee. It’s comforting, familiar and deeply integrated into our daily rituals.

But what if our bodies are asking for something deeper than caffeine?

What if the real solution isn’t more stimulation… but better energy regulation?

Why We Reach for Coffee

For many of us, coffee is an irreplaceable part of the morning. Beyond its comforting taste, it contains powerful compounds that can enhance alertness, focus and mood. In fact, moderate coffee consumption is associated with several health benefits, including improved cognitive performance and reduced risk of certain neurological diseases.

Even the smell of coffee alone has been shown in emerging studies to influence the brain. Researchers have found that the aroma of coffee may improve alertness, reduce perceived stress and even enhance memory performance. In some studies, simply smelling coffee before a task improved cognitive performance compared to unscented environments.

Perhaps this is why the smell of fresh coffee in the morning feels like such a promise of a good day! But when fatigue hits later in the day, reaching for coffee as the only solution might not always be the best answer.

Coffee works primarily by blocking adenosine, a chemical in the brain that signals tiredness. In other words, caffeine doesn’t actually create energy: it temporarily masks fatigue.

This is why the boost often feels wonderful at first but can be followed by an afternoon crash.

For many people, especially women navigating stress, busy schedules, hormonal shifts or disrupted sleep, the real issue is not lack of caffeine.

It’s nervous system exhaustion.

And the nervous system doesn’t recover through stimulation.
It recovers through regulation.

The Most Powerful Energy Source: The Breath

Perhaps the most powerful energy source we already carry within us is our breath.

Breathing directly influences the nervous system, circulation, oxygen delivery and mental clarity. With the right breathing pattern, the body can naturally increase alertness while also calming stress.

Instead of borrowing energy from tomorrow, it helps your body generate energy today.

Here is a simple breathing practice you can try:

The “Coffee Breath” (2 minutes)

Take five deep breaths through your nose, exhale through the mouth
Breathe in and hold your breath for five seconds (or longer)
Breathe slowly out through pursed lips
Start a new round

After just a few rounds many people notice increased clarity, warmth in the body and a subtle lift in energy.

Nature has given us a built-in system for resetting our physiology, we simply need to remember how to use it.

Coffee VS Cold Plunge

Another natural energy amplifier that has become increasingly popular in recent years is cold exposure.

Cold water works very differently from caffeine.

Coffee stimulates the brain chemically.

Cold water activates the body’s stress adaptation system, triggering the release of norepinephrine and dopamine, two powerful neurotransmitters associated with alertness, motivation and mood.

Many people report that after a cold plunge they feel not just awake, but clear, focused and emotionally uplifted.

Here is a simple comparison:

Both coffee and cold exposure can increase alertness but only one trains the body to become more resilient.

Coffee AND Cold: A Powerful Combination

Interestingly, neuroscientist Andrew Huberman has mentioned that coffee before cold exposure may create a powerful synergy. Caffeine primes the brain’s dopamine system, while cold exposure significantly boosts dopamine and norepinephrine.

Together they can create a strong feeling of wakefulness and focus.

But chemistry may not be the only factor at play.

Our senses also influence how the nervous system interprets challenging situations.

During this morning’s ice bath meetup we experimented with something simple: smelling freshly ground coffee while entering the cold water.

We all agreed that the familiar aroma created an unexpected sense of comfort and safety. The brain naturally associates certain smells with routine, warmth and daily rituals. In a moment that might otherwise feel intimidating, this familiar sensory cue seemed to reassure the nervous system that everything was okay.

There is a reason smell can have such a powerful effect on how we feel. Unlike most of our senses, the sense of smell connects directly to the limbic system, the part of the brain responsible for emotion, memory and our perception of safety.

This means a familiar scent can influence the nervous system almost instantly and subtly shift how the body responds to a situation.

It was a beautiful reminder that the body is constantly reading signals from the environment. And when it receives the right signals, something interesting happens.

Cold water no longer feels like a threat.
It becomes a stimulus the body can adapt to.

This is where the real magic happens.

When we combine tools like breath, sunlight, movement and even familiar sensory cues, we help the nervous system move from survival mode into regulation.

A simple morning ritual could look like this:

• Drink water after waking
• Step outside for natural sunlight
• 2 minutes of energising breath
• Coffee or coffee alternative
• Cold shower or sea dip

Instead of relying on caffeine alone, the body is supported by multiple natural signals of wakefulness.

If You Drink Coffee, Choose It Well

For many of us, coffee is more than a drink. It’s an irreplaceable ritual that signals the beginning of the day.

And when chosen well, coffee can be a wonderful ally for focus, health and enjoyment.

Recently I received a package of samples for my community from London Nootropics, a company creating organic coffee blends infused with functional mushrooms and adaptogens designed to support calm, sustained energy.

I met the people behind the brand when I was working at the Biohacking Conference in Amsterdam in 2022, and I’ve been a fan ever since.

What makes them unique is that they combine coffee with ingredients traditionally used in herbal medicine to support cognitive function and stress resilience.

Some of the adaptogens they use include:

Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Often studied for its potential effects on brain health and nerve growth factors. Many people report improved focus and mental clarity.

Cordyceps
Traditionally used to support stamina and oxygen utilisation. Popular among athletes and those looking for sustained energy.

Ashwagandha
One of the most researched adaptogenic herbs, known for helping regulate stress and support nervous system balance.

Rhodiola Rosea
Used historically in cold climates to support endurance and mental performance during fatigue.

These blends aim to create calm, sustained focus rather than jittery stimulation, which many people find helpful if they love coffee but want a smoother experience.

If you’re curious to try them, the team kindly offered my readers 20% off with code PAVLABORG.

You can explore them here: LONDON NOOTROPICS

The Question We Asked Ourselves

This morning just before breathwork, we explored this simple idea together. Sitting by the sea in a circle, I asked one question:

“What gives you energy in life?”

The answers were beautiful.

Nature.
Sunshine.
Running.
The sea.
Purpose.

Not one person said caffeine.

And yet so often we treat coffee as the solution, when what we may really need is connection, nature, movement and breath.

A Final Reflection for International Women’s Day

Today, on International Women’s Day, we celebrate the strength and resilience of women everywhere. Not the loud kind of strength that demands attention, but the quiet power that carries families, communities and dreams forward every single day.

So many women give endlessly to others, often leaving their own energy and rest as the last priority.

Yet nature reminds us of something important:

Renewal is not a luxury. It is a necessity.

Perhaps that is the deeper lesson behind breathwork, cold water and moments spent in nature.

True energy is not something we borrow from coffee.

It is something we remember within ourselves.

Sometimes the energy we are searching for isn’t in a cup.
Sometimes all it takes is a deep breath, a brave step into cold water and the support of a tribe beside us.

A Small Women’s Day Gift

In honour of International Women’s Day, I’m also offering a special discount for my online minicourse Inner Strength in Action – Energy Reset, designed to help women restore their energy through breathwork, nervous system regulation and simple daily rituals.

Explore the course here:

Use code ENERGY for a 50% discount.

See you in the next breath.

Pavla

Categories: : breathing, coffee, cold, community, energy, women