Toasted

Good morning Staker! Here’s what’s cookin’ today. What Tik Tok gets wrong about coffee, how reading combats loneliness, and tips on starting your day like a millionaire 🤑

Let’s get into it!

Influencers on TikTok have many convinced that it’s important to drink one or two cups of water an hour or two before their first cup of joe in the morning; otherwise, dehydration will be more likely and cortisol levels will spike.

According to several experts, none of this is really true. The reality is that after six to eight hours of shut-eye, you’re likely to be a little dehydrated anyway, since water is always evaporating from the body’s skin, and going that long long without water will cause fluid loss.

It’s a good idea to drink one or two cups of water when you wake up for that reason.

Does coffee exacerbate dehydration? Not really. Like anything, too much coffee isn’t a good idea, and caffeine’s diuretic properties could expedite fluid loss if you aren’t a regular coffee drinker, but experts mostly agree it’s by a fairly negligible amount.

Regular coffee drinkers also aren’t as sensitive to the jitters some TikTok influencers have claimed will be amplified if you drink coffee too soon after waking up. Cortisol levels spike anyway in the first hour of wakefulness, which is a natural response to consciousness.

While caffeine can influence the nervous system and cortisol production, some people are just naturally more sensitive to it; in general, regular coffee drinkers probably have nothing to be worried about.

A study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships suggests a daily reading routine can be an antidote to loneliness in older adults—particularly ones who have strong relationships with friends and family.

Socializing can be more difficult for older adults due to mobility issues or personal loss. The study, which looked into data for 31,935 adults above 54 from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement, found reading every day can act as a fill-in for friends and family in certain ways.

The survey had participants list seven confidants they’d relied on in the last year, rank their satisfaction with their social network from 0 to 10, and describe the details of their lifestyles. This included things like how they socialized and how often, and what types of solitary activities they regularly participated in, such as reading or puzzles like crosswords and Sudoku.

The data revealed participants who regularly socialized and participated in solitary activities had lower levels of loneliness. It found socializing typically improved network satisfaction levels and, indirectly, lowered loneliness.

However, reading daily was found to both increase network satisfaction and directly lower loneliness levels, independent of network satisfaction.

“Our findings suggest it may help to develop an enjoyable, cognitively engaging hobby (that is sustainable into older age) early on, as it can serve as a helpful second line of defense against loneliness,” the researchers wrote.

As with most AI slop generators causing a stir around the tech world today, practically nobody has asked for a generative music platform. Naturally, therefore, Google just bought one and intends to introduce it to its suite of products under the Google Labs banner.

ProducerAI is still in its infancy, at least according to the experience Gizmodo senior writer James Pero had with it.

“For instance, I entered a prompt to ‘make grungy rock music,’” he wrote. “About a minute later, I was listening to an AI-generated song with a corny blues riff, basic drums, and a couple of pretty repetitive parts.”

The platform is being powered by Google’s Lyria3 model, which is promising enough if you’re a musician that no longer has the intention of participating in 95% of the activities that constitute being a musician. The platform can generate riffs, lyrics, produce layers of licks, and just about everything that typically requires a soul and a wealth of lived experience to create.

Google, nonetheless, says, “our focus is on enhancing human artistry, enabling exploration and expression,” which most can probably agree is at least a step up from the CEO of rival generative music platform Suno, who blanketly stated, “people don’t enjoy the majority of the time they spend making music.”

It’s never too late to adjust your morning routine, and the fact that so many millionaires have similar ones may just be the motivation you need, even if you think you might be set in your ways.

A five-year study conducted by author Tom Corley found over half of those in the self-made seven figure club set their alarms at least three hours before their work day officially begins.

Getting a head start on the world is one thing; getting a head start on the sun is quite another, and can open the door to a potential you might not have been aware of.

Oprah Winfrey and Arianna Huffington are two of many who work out every morning, and countless studies have shown even just a 10 minute bout of moderate/intense exercise can have significant mental and physical health benefits.

Tony Robbins does a ten-minute “priming” exercise every morning, which is a type of meditation he describes as “the act of taking time to adjust your thoughts and emotions, so you can live your life in peak state.” The same goes for those who start their day with prayer.

Spending time with loved ones or anyone with whom you share a cherished relationship is another success-driver. A 75-year study by the Harvard Medical School found success in life is dependent more on “warm relationships” than literally anything else.

Let’s get lyrical

Yep, it’s right there, on the tip of your tongue…we can practically see it 🤪 That’s right, we’re back with another round of complete the lyric, with today’s trivia.

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