For every call center agent, drinking coffee and other caffeinated drinks are part of the daily routine. Caffeine is the best solution to any agents’ need to stay awake during the entire graveyard shift. The pantry is just filled with so much variety of coffee products and other caffeinated drinks that you just can’t say no. But is caffeine really the only best choice?

The survey entitled “Lifestyle and Reproductive Health Issues of Young Professionals in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu” gathered that call center workers drink 2.3 cups, while non-call center employees drink 1.7 cups daily while food intake vary from eating fried chicken (78 percent), chips (54 percent), fries (53 percent), and burgers (49 percent).

As described by the survey, fruits and vegetables are relatively so unpopular among the young professionals. Given, since a BPO office’s pantry will only prepare easy-to-cook food that can last longer, right?

Coffee has also proven that it’s the obvious choice that BPO workers can finish more than 2 cups on the average.

According to the Journal of Young Investigators, caffeine is a chemical compound found in the beans, leaves, and fruits of over 60 known plants. In its natural environment, it acts as an organic pesticide, protecting vegetation from insects with parasitic tendencies. When consumed by humans, the stimulant operates on the central nervous system (CNS) to produce an energizing effect that, among other things, wards off lethargy and promotes mental acuity.

Caffeine is the instant energizer. The ultimate answer to the terrible night shift of BPO employees. First-time coffee drinkers might find that the effect is more pronounced than those who have been drinking coffee for a longer span of time already. It just eventually becomes your best friend after a few weeks and when you’ll love it so much, it will become your water.

Yes, it can be addictive but not as addictive as illegal drugs. Withdrawal from drinking too much caffeine can cause headache, irritability, fatigue and anxiety. Also, caffeine lacks nutrients. There’s nothing really in coffee but a few list of benefits like helping ease a headache, increasing sociability and improving alertness. Some doctors still disagree to this since they are aware of the possible risks that caffeine can also bring forth.

In a study called “A study on anthropometric measurements, Nutritional status and Body composition of the Night shift BPO executives”, it stated that night shift BPO executives have negative body composition. They have a higher body mass index (BMI) because of which they are at a higher risk of heart diseases, increase in blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and every co-morbidity of obesity. Also, caffeine intake is from moderate to high dosage.

Caffeine perhaps is the immediate and most available solution for the sleepy graveyard shifts of BPO employees but it is unhealthy. Accompanied with the regular night shift lifestyle of parties, lack of sleep, bad diet and smoking, it can lead into a bigger health concern. One that is just harder to get by.

All these facts are not only for call center agents. There are a number of other individuals addicted to coffee as much as call center agents can’t really keep themselves awake without it. But for me, the real bigger threat is this, that we ignore all of these and choose to continue the lifestyle that we have grown familiar with.

An Indian political figure once said, “Ignorance is always afraid of change”.