A Study Sheds Light on Caffeine and Sleep Deprivation

(Newswire.net — December 5, 2022) Orlando, FL — Beverages like coffee have long been resorted to for various purposes, especially for staying alert while working or doing certain activities.

The researchers from Michigan State University carried out a study.

In this study, the investigators evaluated the efficacy levels of caffeine in counteracting the undesirable impacts of sleep deprivation on cognition. 

It was spearheaded by psychology associate professor Kimberly Fenn, from MSU’s Sleep and Learning Lab.

It involved over 275 participants who were made to complete a simple attention task as well as a more challenging “placekeeping” task. It required task completion in a specific order without skipping or repeating steps.

The findings of this research were published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition.

“We found that sleep deprivation impaired performance on both types of tasks and that having caffeine helped people successfully achieve the easier task. However, it had little effect on performance on the placekeeping task for most participants,” Fenn said.

“Caffeine may improve the ability to stay awake and attend to a task, but it doesn’t do much to prevent the sort of procedural errors that can cause things like medical mistakes and car accidents,” she added.

In the United States, inadequate sleep is a widespread issue. Experts have been strongly warning against it as it is linked with the increased odds of certain diseases. 

“Caffeine increases energy, reduces sleepiness and can even improve mood, but it absolutely does not replace a full night of sleep,”

It is worth noting that while people often feel they are able to fight sleep deprivation with caffeine, it would still lead in the impairment in their performance on higher-level tasks. 

Experts are now increasingly looking for some remedies helpful for sleep improvements. Some studies have even shown that B vitamin intake could be extremely helpful.

Years of research have shown that intake of some B vitamins help in recalling dreams. They even aid in the production of serotonin and melatonin, which are vital for a sound and peaceful sleep in addition to regulating mood.

B vitamins have long been linked with a myriad of health benefits, and this is why today, more and more researchers are investigating on their use. There are extra-strength supplements like Divine Bounty B Vitamin Complex considered widely to be an excellent source of these nutrients.

It contains Choline, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamin, and vitamin B6. (amazon.com/dp/B07414752B).