Fabia Shahzadi
Caffeine has always proved to be our friend at times when we knew we had to pull an all-nighter.
New research results have confirmed that caffeine will not provide you with a mental boost if you have been sleep deprived for several days.
Researchers tested 48 people who got only 5 hours a sleep per night, for consecutive five days. Twice a day, participants took either a placebo, or 200 milligrams of caffeine, which has approximately the same amount of caffeine in a large cup of coffee. The study was double-blinded, as in neither the researchers nor the participants knew who was given caffeine or who was given placebo.
Studying the research results, it showed after three nights, the participants’ alertness and their performance on both the tests fell, even after they had caffeine.
Participants who consumed caffeine reported feeling happier than the ones who took placebo in the beginning of the experiment.
However, they were the same ones to complain a feeling of annoyance during the final days of the test.