How Does Coffee Affect Alertness?

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Coffee is one of the most common drinks that people consume daily. It is usually taken in the morning when waking up is really hard, but others also drink it during anytime of the day. It gives a burst of energy when a person is feeling sleepy. It is the caffeine in the coffee that stimulates the body and the mind to make a person mentally awake. It can be ingested before studying to improve the ability to focus and concentrate on the material or after studying to improve the chances of remembering the information studied. As to what the majority of people know, there are many types of coffee: brewed, black, creamy, coffee with chocolate and others, depending on the person’s preferences. Majority of the students surveyed answered that they …show more content…

In a survey conducted many Silliman Medical Technology students drink coffee before studying while others drink it before a class or exams. Caffeine reduces response times and error rates in simple reaction time and visual vigilance. Other effects are improvements in visual selective attention, task switching, conflict monitoring, and response inhibition (Hale, 2012). Majority of the Silliman University Medical Technology student surveyed claimed that coffee does make them alert. These abilities can greatly enhance how the Silliman University Medical Technology students perform activities inside the classroom. In a further study back in 2010 shows that habitual coffee consumers need 400 mg of caffeine to improve visual attention while non-habitual coffee consumers need only 200 mg for their visual attention (McAlpine, 2012). So, it is more effective to drink a normal amount of coffee instead of drinking too much as it will also have an unpleasing result. Normally, classes start at seven in the morning. At this time students tend to be at a sleepy state when in class. Sleep inertia is the feeling a person gets who just woke up and then would want to go back to sleep. Which is why caffeine is taken in right after waking up to fight sleep inertia (“Caffeine, alertness…”, …show more content…

There were many times where caffeine in coffee is often mistaken as a drug, but this is not the case. As stated by Iversen (2006), “Caffeine is unique in that few regard it as a ‘drug’ due to its relatively mild effects when compared with more potent stimulants.” It is not as strong as other potent drugs. Although, it may have similar effects to those drugs but are usually mild compared to illegal drugs. Kilham (2012) lectured that, “Within a daily dosage range of 300 milligrams of caffeine per day, or two to three cups, coffee improves negative moods that occur in the morning upon waking, lifting the sullen and gloomy clouds which can fog the mind upon rising.” In the life of a Silliman University Medical Technology student, stress greatly affects their mood, which can have a negative effect on their capacity to concentrate on schoolwork. To be able to get rid of those negative emotions, the students should drink a cup of coffee because it greatly affects the central nervous system. It is one of the harmless and quickest ways to enhance the mood. Probably, this is the first reason why people drink coffee (Kilham, 2012). It is not only a way to increase mood, but also sharpens focus. Studies show that one of the benefits of caffeine is its ability to sustain attentiveness. Attentiveness is needed in doing a relatively routine task that is unchallenging, making it good for

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