I know people who drink 5-6 cups a day and are able to be quite productive with strangely little sleep, but it's never worked for me, so either I'm missing something or it doesn't work the same way on me. For me, a single cup of coffee, or occasionally two, can help me feel a bit more awake and energetic. But once it gets to 3+, I get jittery and can't concentrate--- have to get up and go for a walk outside or something.
Ask HN: Do we need caffeine?
11–13 of 13 posts
Re: Ask HN: Do we need caffeine?
#12Caffeine is a complex substance, its interaction with your body is going to have a personal element. Some of its properties: it is a diuretic, a vitamin C inhibitor, it increases your blood pressure. Anadin Extra is merely Anadin with added caffeine. So you should treat it with appropriate measures. Just saying it affects sleep from its stimulation effects is not the whole story. Your body has a daily cycle. I would…
>I know from direct experience as my doctor told me "go to bed before midnight and throw away your alarm clock" and I've thanked him for it ever since.
I wish I could be a morning person. I've been trying for years. I started running first thing in the morning, and I loved it. I would give up sex for it.
What ends up happening is, I start sleeping 4-6h each night and become sleep deprived. After 3-5 months I'm burned off.
Now, my neurologyst, who does sleep research, says it will be probably impossible to make me a morning person. She put me on melatonin and english breakfasts, and on a 10-to-2-AM cycle, and I found out about a new state of being, well rested and fresh.
So, that may not be possibility for everyone...
Re: Ask HN: Do we need caffeine?
#13This seems to be the general opinion of the specialists:
The amount of sleep a person needs is not universal. If you don't sleep what you need you'll be harming yourself, and abusing coffee will only worsen things.