Studies find better caffeine alternative: 8 hours of sleep

Many UCLA students were probably excited at the opening of The
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Westwood Boulevard.

With a coffee shop on nearly every corner in Westwood,
we’re still not satisfied. Like many Americans, we need
our caffeine fix to wake up, ease headaches and concentrate … and
we want it to be convenient!

In our society’s ever-quickening pace, we all have to stay
ahead of the game. But often gaining the advantage comes at the
cost of a good night’s sleep. Despite our parents’
efforts to teach us the importance of sleep, nearly 70 million
Americans today are sleep-deprived.

As is the case with many of parental lessons, this pearl of
wisdom disappears from the minds of typical college students as
soon as they move into the dorms. Suddenly, we all want to play
harder, work harder and procrastinate like never before. And to
make it possible, we’ll devour caffeine pills or guzzle
Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew and many a cup o’ joe to keep us
alert, giving us the time we need.

When, then, do we make up for what is lost? Can we expect to
continue to rise further at the expense of a few hours of sleep
here and there?

Recent data tells us that we cannot ““ at least not without
paying a price.

Research has demonstrated that inadequate sleep makes the brain
less effective, costing us the ability to solve problems,
concentrate and consolidate memories. Lack of sleep shifts
one’s mood toward irritability and anxiousness, and, if
continued, sleep deprivation can lead to anxiety disorders and
depression. Interpersonal relationships and job performance may
suffer, while conflicts and even violent behavior can also be
present in the significantly deprived.

Sleep deprivation also causes various systemic manifestations.
Fine motor skills and muscle strength may become diminished.
Glucose tolerance can be impaired, and appetite enhanced, while the
immune system is weakened. Eventually, it can even increase
one’s risk of hypertension and heart attack.

Although it has been difficult to precisely quantify the effects
of sleep, scientists agree the processes occurring during sleep are
anabolic in nature, meaning that it is a time when the body builds
itself up. During sleep, muscles are repaired from the stresses of
the day, and connections between neurons are strengthened and
reorganized.

Studies at the University of Luebek in Germany provide recent,
objective evidence for mental benefits associated with adequate
sleep. They demonstrate that, after eight hours of sleep, research
subjects are three to four times more likely to successfully solve
number conversion problems than those deprived of sleep before the
same tests. Problem-solving skills and creativity are markedly
enhanced in well-rested participants.

Researchers from Harvard University have found similar results.
Here, subjects who sleep at least six hours before trying tasks
designed to test memory and skill development consistently perform
better than those deprived of sleep. Also, even after those in the
latter group make up for their sleep loss, there is no additional
gain in their ability to perform the learned task.

So, what does all this mean?

Prioritizing sleep, just as you would prioritize studying, is
important for college students. A proper eight hours of sleep (some
experts recommend nine to 10) can help us consolidate information
into long-term memories. We must examine our lifestyles and ask
ourselves why, if it’s proven that people perform better on a
full night’s sleep, do we insist on cramming all night before
the worst of our exams? Maybe if we’d skip that trip to
Coffee Bean and listen to our bodies’ needs, we would gain
that advantage we so avidly seek.

Holden is a second-year medical student at the UCLA David
Geffen School of Medicine and a writer for The Diagnosis, an
organization comprised of UCLA medical students. The Diagnosis is
coordinated by Daniel Zaghi, a second-year medical student. Send
comments to [email protected].