{"id":2379,"date":"2021-07-06T18:01:01","date_gmt":"2021-07-06T22:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hamptonroadsent.com\/?p=2379"},"modified":"2021-07-06T18:01:03","modified_gmt":"2021-07-06T22:01:03","slug":"if-youre-not-getting-enough-sleep-does-caffeine-really-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hamptonroadsent.com\/if-youre-not-getting-enough-sleep-does-caffeine-really-help\/","title":{"rendered":"If You\u2019re Not Getting Enough Sleep, Does Caffeine Really Help?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019ve all done it: stayed up too late or woken too early and picked up a cup of coffee from Firehouse Coffee 1881<\/a> in order to wake ourselves up. But does caffeine really help if you don\u2019t get enough sleep? The answer is somewhat complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caffeine Can Keep You Awake, But Not Alert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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One of the reasons we think that caffeine wakes us up is because it blocks adenosine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel tired. So in essence, it covers up the feeling of sleepiness<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, one study<\/a> published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition,<\/em> found that, while caffeine can keep you awake enough to take on certain tasks when you\u2019re sleep-deprived, you won\u2019t do them particularly well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the study, one group of participants slept normally at home while the other was kept awake in a lab overnight. After consuming either a placebo or 200 mg of caffeine (about the amount in two cups of coffee), they completed a reaction time test and a more complex place-keeping test, which involved completing a series of tasks in a specific order without skipping or repeating any of the steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers found that sleep deprivation impaired performance on both tests. While caffeine made people more successful with the simpler task, it had little effect on the place-keeping test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The implication of the study is this: caffeine may help you stay awake on on-task, but it doesn\u2019t help prevent errors. This is especially important to note for people such as doctors and truck drivers, for whom errors can be fatal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authors suggest that the rule of thumb when sleep deprived<\/a> is to not do any tasks you wouldn\u2019t do while intoxicated, as the effects can be similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Importance of a Good Night\u2019s Sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During sleep, your body tissues are repaired and your brain clears itself of plaque buildup. In addition, during REM, neural connections form and memories are consolidated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caffeine cannot replace the importance of a good night\u2019s sleep, which is why a healthy work-life balance and a regular sleep schedule are essential. For more information about the importance of a good night\u2019s sleep or to schedule an appointment with a sleep expert, call Hampton Roads ENT today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n