By Andria Garcia | Staff Writer
Going on late-night Starbucks runs, making cups of tea or buying energy drinks are a few ways that keep students at California Baptist University alert when studying for important exams.
A few students said they believe keeping caffeine in one’s system after midnight, will give them energy to stay awake longer while reviewing material.
Kelsey Del Nero, sophomore pre-physical therapy major, said she intakes caffeine after midnight every other night.
“I buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks often because it helps me stay awake to study the material for my classes,” Del Nero said.
Melissa Wigginton, assistant professor of health science, said drinking too much caffeine causes restlessness.
“Drinking too much caffeine could lead to insomnia or high levels of sugars, which could increase one’s chance of having diabetes,” Wigginton said.
Maria Islas, sophomore biology major, used to drink great amounts of caffeine at midnight at least three times a week. Islas said in the beginning, drinking coffee while studying was a necessity. But she said eventually, drinking caffeine and lack of sleep physically drained her.
“It started to make me nervous, and, after a while, I couldn’t concentrate on my studies,” Islas said. “I then started to cut down to one cup (of coffee) and eat fruits to keep me awake instead.”
Wigginton said she recommends consuming no more than 8 ounces of caffeine per day.
“Instead of caffeine to help study for a test, you should get a good amount of sleep,” Wigginton said. “Forcing yourself to stay awake by drinking caffeine won’t benefit you; instead it will ruin your sleep cycle.”
After midnight, most students do not think about the damage and long-term effects.
Balancing schoolwork and other commitments can be difficult, yet being thoughtful of when coffee is drunk is beneficial.
