Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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CAFFEINE: the sleep substitute Sometimes it just seems there aren ' t enough hours in the day. Perhaps, more accurately, not enough hours remaining before that crucial test or that 20-page term paper is due. One common cause for this dilemma is procrastination, and one popular solu- tion is to increase hours of productivity by decreasing the hours a student sleeps. The only problem with this proposi- tion is that sleep is a necessary bodily function and going without requires some form of assistance. A popular alternative to falling asleep on the tex- tbooks is the consumption of caffeine. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, which increases activity level awareness and also increases physical and mental activity, according to James Uhlarik, professor of psychology. Tea, coffee, soft drinks, diet pills and drug store keep alert tablets all con- tain various amounts of caffeine and are often ingested with the intent of restor- ing mental alertness. Controversies surrounding caffeine began in 1978 when it was reported to the Food and Drug Administration that there may be a connection between the stimulant and harmful effects on the development of the central nervous system. According to the FDA, besides speeding up the heart and stimulating the brain, stomach, kidneys, ovaries and testes, it peps some people up, reacting like amphetamine, then lets them back down. Although it is not known at what levels of consumption caffeine might become dangerous, heavy users (the equivilent of 5 to 10 cups of coffee per day) may develop a caffeine addiction. Symptoms include nervousness, ir- ritability and agitation, to headaches and muscle twitching. It is estimated that 25 percent of the American popula- tion fall under this category. Everyone has to pull an all-nighter at one time or another, said Tracey, senior in pre-physical therapy. I just drink Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi — by the gallon and just sit down and do it. Brian, a senior in engineering, says he is always procrastinating but only discovered caffeine as a study aid two years ago. As my class load got heavier, I ' ve had to stay up late more often. At first it was No Doze, Vivarin, Pepsi and Mountain Dew. Then I tried a freind ' s mail order capsules. We order them through an ad in the back of Cosmopolitan magazine. They make you more tired when they wear off, but they give you some kind of a buzz and last longer than coffee or Coca-cola. Caffeine also increases physical and mental activity. There are, however, problems in using a stimulant to stay awake and alert. According to W.S. Ruliffson, pro- fessor of biochemistry, caffeine may cause physical dependency, increased blood pressure (hypertension), and it in- creases the basal metabolic rate by 10 percent and the gastric output of acid. The next day (after an all-nighter with caffeine), I usually feel real shaky and kind of nauseous, said Linda, freshman in fashion marketing. For Brian, effects include feeling his leg muscles twitch and a sensation like he can feel his hair growing. Caffeine seems to have an effect on the quality of the student ' s studying as well. When under the influence of this type of a stimulant, there is a condition call- ed state dependant learning, Uhlarik said. This involves the state of learning versus the state of testing. When a student studies under the in- fluence of caffeine, or any other stimulants, the mind ' s activity is at a rapid level. When the effects wear off and the test is taken, the brain is work- ing at a lower level. The results are lower levels of efficiency, he said. The all-nighters I ' ve pulled make me so tired during the test that I almost fall asleep, said John, a freshman in ar- chitecture and design, adding, I guess the Pepsi and pills have just worn off. Despite the side effects, Linda says it works for her: I make it through the tests and usually do pretty well. I know without the caffeine, I ' d be a zombie with only two or three hours sleep, Brian said. But it really does bum you out. I ' ve noticed a definite dif- ference in how I feel when I ' ve gone without caffeine for a few days. One way to avoid the caffeine crash would be to plan ahead and pace the semester ' s assignments. Somehow, no matter how good the intentions, by the semester ' s end, things often seem to be piling up. According to Uhlarik, and as most students following a single or series of all-nighters would agree, There is no substitute for regular sleep and study patterns. — by Donna Osborn 28 caffeine

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30 Hi, Bob Customers at Dark Horse Tavern join in together on a chorus of Hi, Bob and then obey the rules and chug a beer.