The Effects of Sleep and Caffeine on Performance and Mood

1063 Words5 Pages
Abstract A research study was done to see if caffeine could be used to improve EEG, performance and mood in young adults. There were 15 participants and the study was done in 4 weeks time. At the end of each week participants EEG, performance and mood levels were measured and recorded. Every other week the subjects ingested placebo or caffeine capsules and were monitored at night with actiwatch wrist bands. Their sleep was also restricted on the night before the laboratory day. Research found that there was not enough evidence to support that caffeine intake improved the way young adults felt or acted during the testing period, contrary to the world wide conception that caffeine is a effective stimulant. The testing was done 4 times and took about 2 hours to complete. Sleep is also a very important factor when it comes to performance and mood, whether or not caffeine is ingested. The Effects of Sleep and Caffeine on Performance and Mood The study was done to see if performance and mood could be affected in healthy young adults by their daily caffeine intake and sleeping habits. The researchers compared participants who took placebo pills with those who took caffeine pills to see if they could find differences in their EEG. The researchers’ main goal was to examine the net effects of caffeine when participants were well rested and when they were sleep restricted (Michael A. Keane and Jack E. James, 2008). Researcher James (1991) says that caffeine is “the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world probably is probably due in part to beliefs about its ability to improve performance and mood” (as cited by Michael A. et al. 2008). But researchers James and Rogers (2005) say that “recent empirical evidence shows that such beliefs are largely unwarranted” (as cited by Michael A. et al., 2008). Also researcher James (1997) says

More about The Effects of Sleep and Caffeine on Performance and Mood

Open Document