JobNet conducted a survey of Myanmar professionals about their daily coffee habits in the workplace and got some interesting results. For instance, did you know that a Myanmar person drinks 1.98 cups of coffee per day? Of course, that’s just an average, and if you’re the kind of person who has at least four cups of coffee per day, that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Although regularly drinking too much coffee can have unhealthy side effects, here are some reasons why drinking coffee, especially at work (or during your job search), can actually be good for you.

It keeps you alert

While too much coffee can be a bad thing as it might make you too hyper and distract you from your work, caffeine, in general, is a good stimulant. Caffeinated coffee helps people stay awake, especially in the mornings when you’re struggling to get out of bed, and in moderation, provides your body with a good boost that will help you stay productive throughout the day.

Our survey revealed that the most coffee-consuming professions were those in engineering and technical fields. Considering that individuals in these fields need to pay a lot of attention to detail, it makes sense that they would consume more coffee to help them stay alert and focused.

It can reduce sleep-deprived stress

If your stress levels are high due to lack of sleep, just the smell of coffee might help you relax. A study conducted by the Seoul National University compared certain genes and proteins in rats’ brains when exposed to the smell of coffee after struggling with sleep-deprived stress. According to the results, the rats who were exposed to the coffee odor showed proteins that have healthful antioxidant properties that help protect nerve cells from stress-related damage. Coffee will not only wake you up when you’re tired, but it’ll also help you be less stressed throughout the work day!

Coffee breaks make you more productive

MIT conducted a study that showed that employees who take group coffee breaks exhibit an overall improvement in their productivity. During these breaks, they were able to have both personal and professional discussions and take a short but valuable rest in the middle of their work. By having an outlet where they could bond with their colleagues and vent any frustrations or worries they might be experiencing, employees were able to increase their overall performance.

It might help you live longer

A US National Institute for Health study noted a correlation between the amount of coffee consumed and risk of death. The study stated, “The researchers found that the association between coffee and reduction in risk of death increased with the amount of coffee consumed. Relative to men and women who did not drink coffee, those who consumed three or more cups of coffee per day had approximately a 10 percent lower risk of death.” So there you go!