As motivated, involved Duke students, I think we can all agree that we tend to get little sleep. I think we’ve all heard the saying that out of having a social life, good grades, and enough sleep, a college student can only have two. I personally have found that to be pretty close to the truth! Studying can be a constant struggle, especially when running on a mere four hours of sleep. A recent article by Wired Science gives some advice on how to utilize caffeine and sleep to renew and revitalize while studying (or even just trying to make it through the day on little sleep).
You should caffeinate when:
1. You have a headache. Why? Caffeine is an analgesic that improves bodily absorption of pain relievers, so take aspirin along with that coffee.
2. You want to perform well athletically. Studies show that caffeine can improve endurance and speed anywhere from 1 to 3 percent. Drink a cup or two of coffee about an hour before exercise, and you’re good to go.
You should nap when:
1. You are out of ideas and need intellectual stimulation. REM sleep will assist the neural connections that form ideas and thoughts. It takes about 90 minutes for the average person to reach REM sleep.
2. You’re about to make a bad decision. The nap will revitalize you both mentally and physically, and bring you back to your senses!
You should do BOTH when:
1. You’re sleep-deprived and in a bad mood. Many scientists advocate for these so-called “caffeine-naps” to improve mood. If you drink coffee right before a nap, the caffeine will not kick in until you are well into your nap. The advantage of drinking the coffee then is a reduced feeling of drowsiness when you wake up! I know that I’m going to try this.
Regardless of these tricks, it’s important to remember that getting enough sleep at night is obviously preferable! Not only will you feel better and more alert throughout the day, but you’ll also be more likely to perform well academically. Good luck, ladies!
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