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CAFFEINE EFFECTS ON SLEEP. BY ANDREW MCGRATH & ANDREA DELLA LIBERA. WHAT IS CAFFEINE?. It is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid and a stimulant drug that can be found in seeds leaves or fruit of certain plants (coffee, tea, cocoa) or can be handmade. CAFFEINE AND THE BRAIN.
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CAFFEINE EFFECTS ON SLEEP BY ANDREW MCGRATH & ANDREA DELLA LIBERA
WHAT IS CAFFEINE? It is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid and a stimulant drug that can be found in seeds leaves or fruit of certain plants (coffee, tea, cocoa) or can be handmade.
CAFFEINE AND THE BRAIN Everybody knows that caffeine has various effects on the brain: it`s a stimulant, that increases intellectual abilities, but it can also influence people`s mood and affect the ability of sleeping, causing insomnia.
BUT… Many experiments have shown how caffeine affects the brain but in real life it seems to be false, cause some people can quietly drink coffee or energy drinks without problems, even before sleeping.
EXPERIMENT The purpose is to examine the effects of caffeine, to verify if it really affects the ability of sleeping. • Null Hypothesis: Caffeine acts as a stimulant and causes insomnia: people can hardly all asleep • Alternative hypothesis: Caffeine doesn`t change people`s ability of sleeping
We take 10 volunteers and test them for 2 nights. First they have to take a survey. Then we register volunteers` heart rate and blood pressure The first night they will sleep as normal. The second night the volunteers will drink a high caffeinated drink and have heart rate and blood pressure taken. Then the volunteers will sleep as normal and be tested in the morning for blood pressure and heart rate.
REFERENCES • aracan, I., J. I. Thornby, M. Anch, L. R. Williams, G. H. Booth, and P. J. Salis. "Europe PubMed Central." N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2013. • Ethanol and caffeine effects on daytime sleepiness/alertness.Lumley, Mark A.; Roehrs, Timothy; Asker, Deanna; Zorick, Frank; et alSleep: Journal of Sleep Research & Sleep Medicine • Lodato, Francesca, Martina Barchitta, Joana Arauio, Henrique Barros, Carla Lopes, and AntonellaAgodi. "Caffeine Intake Reduces Sleep Duration in Adolescents." N.p., n.d. Web. • "Sleep Advice: Better Sleep Tips." SLEEP RESEARCH PROJECT - Sleep Advice: Better Sleep Tips. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2013.
AND… SOME TIPS TO SLEEP BETTER!
Bedtime should be fairly regular, but should also be flexible. Limit caffeine and avoid caffeine within eight hours of bedtime. Caffeine is a fairly strong stimulant found in coffee, tea, and many soft drinks. Hunger disturbs sleep. A light bedtime snack may help you sleep. A routine set of behaviors right before bedtime can have a soothing effect . A steady daily amount of exercise probably deepens sleep.