Study: Small Doses of Caffeine Best to Stay Awake

Ralph writes "This study concludes that smaller doses of caffeine throughout the day are more effective in keeping awake for long hours, rather than the traditional morning mug of coffee. However, in many cases, myself included, the problem isn't staying awake for long hours, but rather using uptime efficiently. Any known cures for the "laziness disorder" out there?"

Comments

Slashdot isn't it

[ni4882]

Well, my guess is that slashdot is not the best cure for "laziness disorder".

Re:Slashdot isn't it

[bergeron76]

I've found that the best way to get over laziness is to set a goal for myself for the next day. I do this when I go to bed at night and when the day arrives, I just feel more motivated. I've also found that the less sleep I get, the more motivated I am. If I wake up at 11AM on a Saturday, I'll just kind of slough around the house (thinking about doing all kinds of stuff, but not actually doing it). However, if I get up early, I seem to have much more energy (when I do finally get going) and get a lot more done in the day (I don't mean relatively; my premise is based on days with equal # of awake hours).

I have a theory that all of this "extra" energy could be of consequence later in life (shorter lifespan maybe?), but I have no way to quantify something like that; so I won't speculate.

I'm just pointing out my own first hand experiences - as always, YMMV.

Re:Slashdot isn't it

[Tiro]

I doubt about the "extra" energy use coming back to hurt you later in life. For heavy weightlifter types, maybe.

But if you look at people in society who stay active all the time, they tend to be the ones who stay productive late in life.

I have the exact same problem as you; my college schedule has no classes on Wed and Fri, so I sleep in until 11:30 and the day is wasted. I'd be better off with class at nine in the morning daily. Exercise is starting to help me get back on track..

Re:Slashdot isn't it

[el-spectre]

Alright, who the hell let a morning person in??? :)

I don't really have this problem, if I get up at noon, I'm up until 6 the next day and stuff gets done.

Of course, if I get up at 6, I still don't do anything until 2pm... I think my brain forgot what time zone I live in..

Re:Slashdot isn't it

[Anonymous Coward]

I read somewhere that one of the reasons you can be tired after getting a lot of sleep is because you have had too much REM sleep. REM sleep (dreamimg) uses a lot of energy.

People who suffer depression often feel better when they get less sleep as well, again because they have had less REM sleep.

Re:Slashdot isn't it

[JimboOmega]

Actually, I saw a study recently (on something innane like AIM Today or msn.com courtesy of a fresh IE install) that found that people who sleep more than 8 or 9 hours have as many sleep problems as those that sleep less, in other words, they're just as sleepy, likely to doze off, feeling fatigued, unmotivated, etc, as someone who is sleep deprived.

The article's conclusion was that 7-8 hours is ideal.... I also have to agree with this from personal experience. My weekends are more productive if I don't swallow the bait that is 12 hours of sleep.

Of course... never can be 100% sure how much of that is caused by body being confused from getting up at a much different time, ie, jet lag without moving. Who knows.

Small doses, eh?

[Ianoo]

I wonder what the best way to get these small doses might be. Perhaps snorting a line of coffee granules every few hours?

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Carnildo]

I wonder what the best way to get these small doses might be. Perhaps snorting a line of coffee granules every few hours?

IV drip.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Diet coke, 1 can per hour, all day long?

(Diet, so as to reduce likelihood of test subject weighing 400 lbs)

Re:Small doses, eh?

[grungefade]

what i do is, just take 1/4 of a nodoze (50 mg). And i end up taking about 2 - 3 a day, throughout the day. I found this to be way better than drinking coffee. Its something about getting all the caffeine at once that works a lot better than coffee. Even though a full pill is supposed to be equal to one cup of coffee (200 mg). I only take 1/4 and feel more than i do from coffee. I stopped taking a full one every day because i couldnt stop feeling cracked out.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Oriumpor]

Suuure, diet doesn't make it any better, just worse in different ways:
(Diet coke)
Carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, sodium saccharin, potassium benzoate (to protect taste), natural flavors (vegetable source), citric acid, caffeine, potassium citrate, aspartame, dimethylpolysiloxane. Phenylketonurics: Aspartame contains phenylalanine. Use of saccharin in this product may be hazardous to your health. This ingredient has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals.

Other than the obvious saccharin warning on the label, a quick search on aspartame makes me never want to drink a diet beverage again. Not to mention all the horrible things corn syrup can contribute to. I stopped the soda thing not too long ago, and I'm not looking back.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[WolfWithoutAClause]

I wonder what the best way to get these small doses might be.

Dunno, but I find that chunks of 70+% bitter chocolate at regular intervals (every half hour or so) seems to keep me awake till the well after dawn when I play FPS's. Then again, I guess the FPS itself is stressful, so would tend to prolong wakefullness, but still, the chocolate seems to do something.

There's Caffeine, as well as other stimulants (theobromine IRC) in chocolate, so it's not too surprising I guess.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

"Use of saccharin in this product may be hazardous to your health. This ingredient has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals."

The NIH did a study on the effect of saccharin use in humans. It determined that it does not cause bladder cancer (the only type observed) if used in moderate doses and for people who used it in very excessive doses, it only slightly raised their risk (this is why Congress removed the label 'use of this product may be hazardous to your health' in 2000. It does cause cancer in lab rats due to a different mechanism (different receptors and enzymes) that does not apply to humans. The benefits to your oral health that saccharin gives greatly outweighs any uncertainty about it causing cancer in lab rats or being 'certified to cause cancer in the state of California'.

Saccharin is just another food product that has been irrationally rejected by the masses due to unfounded potential risks. Just like irradiated food (which can be preserved for a long time without use of preservatives--which are in many cases harmful to your health) and GM crops.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[cujo_1111]

I thought the average cup of brewed coffee contained approximately 80-130 mg of caffeine?

BTW, do you have trouble sleeping?

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Josh Booth]

I would think that brewing yourself a nice cup of $YOUR_FAVORITE_TEA every few hours might be good, since it has less caffeine and, depending on how long you let it steep, you can control how much caffeine it has. But then again, I'm only a high school senior and don't work in an office environment.

Also note that, while tea leaves have more caffeine by mass than coffee beans, the resulting liquid has less.

MY_FAVORITE_TEA="Earl Grey"

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

'certified to cause cancer in the state of California'

Shouldn't that be "known to the State of California to cause cancer"? That's what all the gas pumps say about MTBE -- a chemical ironically once required to be put into gasoline by the all-knowing State of California and the environmentalist lobby.

irrationally rejected by the masses

I rejected saccharine because it has a really nasty aftertaste (not that the "foretaste" is all that great). Seems rational enough to me, if a merely personal preference.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

MY_FAVORITE_TEA="Earl Grey"

Seriously mate, you need to get out more.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[slashdot_commentator]

Also, the caffeine in tea is a different isomer than the caffeine in coffee (and both are different from the caffeine in chocolate).

The caffeine in coffee tends to have a greater physiological effect than in the other forms of ingestion.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Right, here you go, then! Just watch out for those panic attacks...

Re:Small doses, eh?

[himself]

AC pointed out that fears of bladder cancer due to saccharine have been discounted, but that it has been "'certified to cause cancer in the state of California'." I am relived [har!] to hear about the bladder thing, and since I don't have a California, I think I'll go back to drinking sugary soda pop.
I have a friend who used to put a saccharine tablet into each Diet Coke before he drank it. Yikes.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[grungefade]

Personally i thought a cup of coffee was 180 mg. But im just going by the label on the NoDoze. Which says 1 pill is equal to 1 cup of coffee. And no i dont have trouble sleeping at all. But I dont think anyone would with only taking 1/4 twice a day. The last one being about at 3:00 pm. Its not that much but it sure works great. No more dozing off at work looking at my screen.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Man I was with you all the way until you added GM crops at the end.

While eating GM crops is almost definitely a non-issue, there are other far more serious potential dangers to GM crops with regard to ecosystems, disease resistance, and the infamous butterfly effect.

Look at the serious problems caused by invasive non-native species, (E.g. the zebra mussle) and then think about what it means to build species that are not native to anywhere. Gene splicing a frog gene into a potato cannot be compared to the old ways of selective cross-breeding.

We have no idea what the long term consequences of any given GM crop are. We have NO HOPE of having any idea what the cummulative long term consequences are for all GM crops. We're gambling with our fingers crossed, blinded by the profit margins.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Tukla]

"we investigated the effects of blindly administered intravenous caffeine"

I read this and then spent several seconds trying to figure out how you could give someone an IV without them knowing it.

I must need a Coke.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[PCM2]

Gene splicing a frog gene into a potato cannot be compared to the old ways of selective cross-breeding.

Yes, the old "Frankenfoods" argument. And yet, the vast majority of GM crops were produced not by careful, Photoshop-style cutting and pasting of genes but by either A.) irradiation, or B.) chemicals designed to speed up the process of cellular division and mutation. In other words, scientists pretty much accelerate the ordinary processes of nature, and any beneficial mutations come up are flukes -- but ones that could probably have occurred anyway.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Tlosk]

You're not giving them an IV without them knowing it, you're giving them the drug without them knowing it. In other words everyone gets the IV, but only half the people get the drug, the others get something like a saline solution.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[ErfC]

...and, depending on how long you let it steep, you can control how much caffeine it has.

Actually, according to the Tea FAQ from rec.food.drink.tea, caffeine is one of the most readily-dissolved materials in the tea, and most of it makes it into the water in the first 20-30 seconds of steeping.

Are you equating "strong" with "caffinated"? That's a pretty common misconception; a lot of time something tastes stronger but actually has less caffeine in it. Compare dark to light roast coffee, for example; the caffeine in coffee is partially destroyed during roasting, so the longer you roast the less caffeine you get, so there's actually slightly *less* caffeine in dark coffee. But it tastes a little stronger, and looks darker, so it's assumed to give you more buzz; I assume this is because the other way to get darker coffee is to use more grounds (but that's dark in a different way!).

Re:Small doses, eh?

[pirho666]

Uhhh Caffiene is caffiene is caffiene you must be thinking about theobromine and thophylline. I wouldnt worry about those though they are rather similar in effect theophylline being the most effective.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[ithicine]

You'd be surprised. Out of boredom, late one night, a friend and myself rolled some Starbucks and smoked it. Well... it didn't taste half bad! It was all a big joke to us, but I noticed that about half way through the coffee joint we were talking nonstop. Sleep was a long time in coming. There can't have been much caffeine there between the two of us, but it still seemed to work, shockingly well. Yes, we were tired, but just... couldn't sleep. We just had to do something, anything. Though already tired, smoking a coffee spliff resulted in about 6 hours of study, beginning at 5:00am. Yikes.

This leads up to my reply to your comment... Since smoking worked, I thought I'd try snorting. However, granules are far too rough to snort; pulverizing them into a powder, though, works well. Maybe I'm an idiot, but I've done this quite a few times since. It seems to work. About three coffee hits off the back of your hand (snuff style) gets you going, but doesn't last long. If you try this, make sure you wipe the brown smear off your upper lip... O_O

BTW, I find that instant coffee works best. It makes coffee right inside your nose, right up there near the brain. Zang.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[minator]

I'm not sure about Saccharic but I agree on irradiated food (probably) not being dangerous.

On GM foods I have to disagree, nobody understands how genetics really works so the side effects are completely unknown and are potentially dangerous - as whistle blowers from within the industry have shown.

For some very good reading on the subject go read this:

The Collapse of Chaos, by Jack Cohen & Ian Stewart

...by people who know what they are talking about.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[BigBlockMopar]

by the all-knowing State of California and the environmentalist lobby.

You imply that the environmentalist lobby is "all-knowing"... even though it's sarcastic.

Just want to point out that if "environmentalists" really cared about the environment, they'd have useful degrees in math, science or engineering. Instead, they do "Women's Studies" or art history, then talk about scientific policy from their ignorance, and the masses believe them because they're "educated".

The world is all about change. To understand it and be able to "model" it scientifically, you need to understand rates of change - calculus. Nature's favorite number is, arguably, e. So, I'd expect anyone who credibly calls himself or herself an environmentalist to be able to differentiate (find the rate of change of) e^(2x). As a bare minimum for credibility, and certainly before I'll even entertain idiotic ideas like hydrogen-powered cars.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Yakman]

The other half get air :)

Re:Small doses, eh?

[BigBlockMopar]

While eating GM crops is almost definitely a non-issue... We have NO HOPE of having any idea what the cummulative long term consequences are for all GM crops.

If the GM crops are modified to be infertile (as most of them are), then they can't reproduce. You've already said that eating them is safe - therefore, what are the alternative issues?

Re:Small doses, eh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Sir! A most excellent post. I concur, though I'm for pi being nature's favorite number. The keyword, however, was "arguably." But what's your issue with H-powered vehicles?

Thanks.

Re:Small doses, eh?

[jakobk]

I once bought 100 grams of caffeine to make OpenCola. What to do with the remaining 98g? I snorted some. It didn't seem to work. Foil smoking was better, but it might have been placebo. Does anybody know how to recrystallize caffeine to get caffeine citrate for snorting? ;)

zerg

[Lord Omlette]

Ask your girlfriend not to have sex w/ you unless you can prove you took a few major items off your todo list.

Re:zerg

[Anonymous Coward]

That's not very fair on your girlfriend.

What's with your zerg titles anyway? Why not protoss?

Re:zerg

[ichimunki]

That's a logical impossibility. That is the first few major items on my todo list.

Or at least it was when I had a girlfriend. Which seemed to be the case a lot more before I started reading Slashdot. Hmmmm. And the house was cleaner too!

Re:zerg

[stienman]

And it'll help with your carpal tunnel problem.

-Adam

Re:zerg

[Anonymous Coward]

This is slashdot. His "girlfriend" is probably the hand holding his coffee cup.

Re:zerg

[Gewis]

My girlfriend? Heh. Lord Omlette, you kidder, you.

Re:zerg

[Anonymous Coward]

I think the "zerg" is so the subject line reproduces with each reply, attempting to take everything else over. That seems like the zerg way to me.

Re:zerg

[Anonymous Coward]

You FOOL!

See how quickly that translates over to her todo list.
There's a reason they call it a honey-do list you know.

If you have lots of freedom, don't mess with it!

If you have a good sex life, absolutely do not mess with it.

Messing with both in one act is the epitome of foolishness.

Re:zerg

[Anonymous Coward]

Even better; get her to give you half a blowjob (to get the heart pumping), with the other half due on completion of the required tasks.

I'll bet that'll get the whole house looking like a model home in 3 tries :-)

Re:zerg

[Anonymous Coward]

Of course, that only works until you get married, after which point you won't have to worry about sex ever again...

Re:zerg

[cerberusss]

Yeah and after you are done doing all those jobs, she'll be all over you, horny as hell, but... you're too tired!!

Re:zerg

[Anonymous Coward]

Didn't work for me.

Burn the candle at both ends

[MrIrwin]

I start the day with a big mug of Nescafé and top up with frequent doses of espresso.

Then at the weekend all I need is asprin to overcome the caffine withdrawl headaches.

Re:Burn the candle at both ends

[dasheel]

Excedrin is caffeinated!!

If it was just 'found' today

[Anonymous Coward]

If caffeine was just discovered today, it would be illegal to use in the USA.
It would be a Schedule 1 drug, right next to heroin, cocaine, pot, and peyote.

It satisfies the requirements of addiction, acute withdrawal, and abnormal body functions while partaking of it, along with long-term physiological affects.
When you say you need your fix, you are closer to the truth than you think!



Note-I don't necessarily agree with the above, but that's the way it is.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[dacarr]

AC, you ignorant slut! You know that's utter bullshite!

Now excuse me while I prime up a vein for my afternoon fix of caffeine.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[norton_I]

I have been addicted to caffeine and quit several times. There are withdrawl symtoms, but they really aren't that bad. Increased irritability and minor headaches, mostly. People who make a big deal of it suffer from another "disease" where they think it makes them cool to whine about how bad their withdrawl symptoms are.

Also, it is not that addictive. I have never had a problem quitting. It is true that I have always started again, eventually (typically a copuple months later), but I think that is just because I am weak willed.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[mrogers]

...which suggests that the sky wouldn't fall in if heroin was available cheaply in supermarkets.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[jmichaelb]

Caffeine most certainly would not be a schedule I drug.

Schedule I drugs are those highly addictive drugs that have no accepted medical use. Caffeine has a plethora of medical uses (most importantly for treatment of breathing problems and to increase the effectiveness of certain pain relievers).

The abuse potential most certainly not on the same level as heroin. Indeed, there is some serious debate about whether caffeine is truly addictive at all.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[shadowbearer]

If /. was just discovered today, it would be illegal to use in the USA.
It would be a Schedule 1 drug, right next to heroin, cocaine, late night redeye programming sessions, pot, tobacco, kernel rebuilds, alcohol, marijuana, Everquest, peyote, Neverwinter Nights, etc, etc, etc...

It satisfies the requirements of addiction, acute withdrawal, and abnormal body functions while partaking of it, along with long-term physiological affects similar to Cowboy Neal's.

When you say you need your fix, you are closer to the truth than you think! [ turn off your computer ]

Note-I don't necessarily agree with the above, but that's the way it is. [ Duh, I'm posting here ]

Well, shit. [ Karma: Excellent ] - I guess I should find a local slashdot users support group...

SB
[ The above post is intended as humorous. If you suffer from ill effects while reading it, consult your physician ]

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[addaon]

I used to be prone to migraines.

I've quit caffeine several times.

The withdrawal headaches aren't as bad as migraines. Quite. They can still leave you on the floor, literally, if they catch you at the wrong moment. It varies from person to person, ya know?

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Monkelectric]

I am caffeine sensitive, in the same way that an alcoholic is "alcohol sensitive". The worst time was probably 10 years ago when I was in high school... It just creeps up on you until you're drinking it all the time ... I basically couldn't stay awake for more then an hour without caffeine, finally I decided I had to quit, went cold turkey, and slept 17 hours. The next day, 14 hours, then 12 ... It took almost 6 months for me to really feel "awake" during the day.

If I need to stay up now I try to eat pepperocini's, the flush feeling from chewing the seeds will keep you up and alert for about 30 minutes and is alot more gentle on your body. They got me through college anyways :)

I'm not saying caffeine should be illegal, but it is a powerfull drug. I think the fact that its legal highlights the hypocrisy of US drug laws.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[red elk]

If I need to stay up now I try to eat pepperocini's

That's the flush feeling of having to sit on the toilet for about 30 minutes...

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[duggy_92127]

People who make a big deal of it suffer from another "disease" where they think it makes them cool to whine about how bad their withdrawl symptoms are.

With all due respect, fuck you. It all depends on physiology and the amount that you used to ingest. Maybe you were used to a few cups of coffee a day, and your body handled the lack well; I was drinking something like two 2-liters a day, and when I stopped cold turkey, I was quite fucked up for about four days. Horrible headaches, complete exhaustion, even trembles.

The rest of us would appreciate you not judging us based solely on your own experience. Thank you.

Doug

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[slithytove]

First of all, as some other responders have said- people's physiology varies, I know people who have suffered serious headaches when trying to quit drinking coffee; people who didn't whine and certainly don't think it "makes them cool" to.
Secondly, the parent post was pointing out the hypocricy of US drug laws, and they're quite right- marijuana, for one, isn't nearly as addictive and withdraw, even for a very heavy smoker, is typically not bad at all. Also, a vast majority of people who have at some point smoked pot regularly quit by their thirties. Can coffee drinkers say the same?

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[alleycat0]

Actually, cocaine is a Schedule II drug, not a Schedule I. The scheduling of controlled substances is *supposed* to be based solely on two criteria: medical utility and potential for abuse. Cocaine is still used as a topical anaesthetic in some types of surgery (including ophthalmic, IIRC), and so is assigned to a different schedule than those drugs which are purported to have no medical benefit whatsoever and a high potential for abuse: peyote, heroin, and ostensibly marijuana. (Apparently politics can trump medical reason.)

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Anonymous Coward]

Heroin and cocaine are scedule 2, i.e. they can be legally perscribed by a doctor. Marijuana, which can be used to effectively treat glaucoma, aids wasting syndrome, and several other conditions, and has no known fatal dose, is schedule 1 - no accepted medical use. Just another example of misguided US policy.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Tukla]

Hey, that's how I get my technical reading done!

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[thetroll123]

Schedule 1 drug, right next to heroin, cocaine, pot

That doesn't mean possession of each of those are equally serious offences, I hope?

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[PHPhD2B]

My test for whether something is really *that* addictive ...

Would people sell themselves for another fix of it?

Would somebody REALLY sell themselves for a cup of coffee? Would you sleep with someone you hate or are repulsed by just so you can get a cup of coffee?

Get off the scare tactic wagon.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Anonymous Coward]

Caffeine is nothing compared to opiates. But if you're talking weed vs. caffeine, tobacco, etc., you've probably got a point there.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[neonduckshoe]

PSSSHh... Quitting caffeine is easy. I've done it lots of times.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Tim12s]

I can say the same. Yes, I can quit on the spot for regular periods of months. I actually enjoy being off coffee for quite some time.

BUT

I can also say that after one cup of coffee at work 30 minutes after I start working will allow me to absorb myself into what I'm doing. I'll get 'much more' done.

-Tim

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[PetiePooo]

That's why they recommend pepperocini's for first-time inmates...


"It burns! It burns!"

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Dun Malg]

Schedule I drugs are those highly addictive drugs that have no accepted medical use.

Nonsense. Many Schedule I drugs are non-addictive, and a fairly good number of them were used theraputically with good results before they were unilaterally banned. "addictive and medically useless" may be the excuse they offer for classifying things Sched I, but it's not necessarily true.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Anonymous Coward]

Caffeine is a vasodilator, so if you are prone to migranes to begin with, caffeine can help prevent them or help stop one that is in progress. This is true even for someone who never uses caffeine.

You should check with your doctor about your migranes to find out if there is an underlying problem that is more serious than caffeine withdrawal.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry I meant constrictor, not dilator.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Anonymous Coward]

Also, a vast majority of people who have at some point smoked pot regularly quit by their thirties. Can coffee drinkers say the same?

Coffee is cheaper, legal, and tends to increase your work output (something that a lot of people in their 30s appreciate). I think those factors have a lot more to do with usage than whether or not it is addictive.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[MethylPhreak]

And this person WOULD have to say this under the AC guise...

First, let me break down your mindless statement by tackling the "legal" and "cheaper" parts at the same time. It is unarguable the legality of certain substances that causes a drastic rise in their prices. The fact of the matter is, virtually ANYTHING on the black market is more expensive (with the exception of warez hehe).

And finally, whoever said that someone was going to be doing it at work? For that matter, lets assume that you are talking about taking certain substances at work (NOT endorsing anyone here to do that, end legal disclaimer), there are certainly several substances that would increase your work output FAR more than even the most ridiculous espresso.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Troed]

Amen. I can stop almost half of my migraines with coffee.

The rest needs Imigran (Swedish name, dunno what that might be elsewhere) - excellent drug. Makes me feel twice as awake and really sharp aswell.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[ACPosterChild]

If a rock of crack sold for 50 cents (like a soda pop or cup of coffee), there probably wouldn't be crack whores.

[Not that I can see somebody drinking one cup of coffee and getting addicted immediately; the high you get, while physically and mentally addictive, isn't so powerful that many people would be willing to trade their normal life for destitute caffine addiction.]

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[SCSi]

FYI, Cocaine is a Schedule 2 drug with morphine and friends. Im a pharmacist, and im looking at it right now on my wholesalers ordering system.. Its used in very dilute formulas for topical analgesia/vasoconstrictor in eye and nose/throat surgery.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[BobMarley]

My girlfriend used to suffer from frequent migraines. The drug you're referring to, I think, is Imitrex (PDF document). She received a prescription of a nasal spray of the stuff - the only thing that was effective, and then only if she caught it early enough. If not, she had to be brought to the hospital for treatment via IV or injection.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Anonymous Coward]

Owww... I use Imitrex, and that stuff hurts worse than the migraine for about an hour. Then it goes away, which the migraine usually would not have done, but still.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[iabervon]

Caffeine withdrawal can definitely vary significantly in intensity. It does get pretty bad if you're unlucky. On the other hand, it's very rarely worse than a sinus infection. It's not something to belittle, but it's not something to worry too much about, either.

It's really hard for most people to stay off of caffeine, I think, primarily because a regular low dose of caffeine doesn't have particularly significant side effects, so there's very little motivation to quit for good.

Personally, I drink a cup of coffee each morning when I get to work. I find this a more effective, and, in New England, a more available, alternative to sunshine. I used to drink coffee in the evening and drink a lot of it at a time, but I quit that so that I could keep a more regular schedule.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Michael Crutcher]

You're mostly right, but actually the Department of justice uses eight criteria:

• The drug's actual or relative potential for abuse
• Scientific evidence of its pharmacological effect, if known
• The state of current scientific knowledge regarding the drug
• Its history and current pattern of abuse
• The scope, duration, and significance of abuse
• What, if any, risk there is to the public health
• The drug's psychic or physiological dependence liability
• Whether the drug is an immediate precursor of a substance already controlled under the CSA. 21 USC 811(c)

• Here's were I found it referenced: Marijuana rescheduling denied (pdf)

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[iabervon]

Caffeine is actually very similar to cocaine, but caffeine is significantly stronger. Coca leaf tea is a mild stimulant popular in the Andes, and reportedly is as effective as caffeinated beverages without causing nearly so much twichiness. If, on the other hand, caffeine were used like cocaine is usually used in the US, it would be generally fatal.

Interestingly, most cultures historically have used one of the mild stimulants widely while prohibiting others, with the "good" one chosen practically at random.

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Joe Tie.]

I'll second that "fuck you, please don't generalise your own biochemestry to the rest of the population". There's huge varience in withdrawl symptoms for every combination of drug and person, and just taking your own experiences as applicable to everyone else is just assine. I used amphetamines in high school and didn't have very bad withdrawl symptoms when I gave them up. But there's no way I'm going to take that and just assume that everyone else who does have a problem giving up speed are just chronic whiners!

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[Anonymous Coward]

No MEDICAL USE? What are you taking? Heroin is Scehdule I (Diamorphine) and it has a very, very common medical use. When people are terminally sick with cancer Diamorphine is used (IV demand pump) to ease their pain. IMHO this is a very ACCEPTABLE MEDICAL USE.

Schedule I is about social acceptance, and taxation!

Re:If it was just 'found' today

[jmichaelb]

Schedule I is about social acceptance, and taxation!

Acceptance yes, but taxation? Where do I buy heroin stamps exactly?

'using uptime efficiently'

[Neil Blender]

That's exactly it. Same reason I drink a lot of beer in the span of a few hours than all day. It's the short term affects that are important to most people. I'm sure they could come up with a study that says if you injest the nutrients/sugar/whatever in two donuts through an IV drip over the course of a day it is much better than eating two in the morning.

Have to ask.......

[MrIrwin]

What does Java do for productivity?

Re:Have to ask.......

[john_is_war]

Simpler implementations

Solution:

[Anonymous Coward]

Switch your job and caffeine addiction for a heroin addiction and never look back. It's 100 times better than sex.

Re:Solution:

[Anonymous Coward]

Pure heroin is a relatively safe drug, no more dangerous than various painkillers freely available. The problem is the street variety is cut with other drugs making it extremely hazardous to use.

Of course, anything in high enough dosages will kill you.

Re:Solution:

[Anonymous Coward]

What about the associated social problems? Stealing to pay for the addiction, funding a criminal underworld, becoming more at risk from accidental death, at risk of overdose, becoming ill, unhygienic, totally self-absorbed and self-obsessed, no longer being part of society....

Here's a good solution:

[stienman]

hostinfo
...
slashdot.org 127.0.0.1
...

-Adam

Re:Here's a good solution:

[Jade E. 2]

Running your own slashdot mirror?? Pure genius!

Small Doses of Caffeine Best to Stay Awake?!

[ivan1011001]

Small doses of caffeine at intervals in the day?! pfft!

What about LARGE doses at regular intervals? I'd say that's best.

Anyway, as for the small amounts, that's where Penguin Mints from ThinkGeek come in handy =P

Re:Small Doses of Caffeine Best to Stay Awake?!

[Muhammar]

small and diluted doses are completely harmless in any quantity and volume

Re:Small Doses of Caffeine Best to Stay Awake?!

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, you're completely correct. 1,000,000,000 1ml doses of weak coffee wouldn't hurt anyone.

Especially if someone made you drink them within say, 1 hour?

Re:Small Doses of Caffeine Best to Stay Awake?!

[Anonymous Coward]

It was a joke, dumbass.

Aspartame

[Anonymous Coward]

The website that comes up is long on scare and short on details. Most of the details it has are over a decade old. Sounds to me like a scare the fizzled out. I'll trust the FDA on this one.

Re:Aspartame

[Anonymous Coward]

I really should dig a little deeper... The whole aspartame BS is just that. Down near the bottom is one of the originating emails of this scare. Aspartame is relatively harmless. It's primary function: Converting mucous to glucose.

Rx: "laziness disorder"

[hey!]

(1) Adequate sleep.

(2) Daily exercise.

(3) Sound nutrition.

My personal experience: I'm a total coffee fiend. But since I've followed the above guidelines, I don't go through withdrawal when I skip a day and I don't have mid afternoon sleepiness.

Re:Rx: "laziness disorder"

[nazsco]

Yeah, it's realy nice WHEN YOU HAVE THE TIME TO!

A more REAL list would be

(1) wake up late

(2) run to work

(3) eat on crapy places, the only ones that hapens to exist near your job

(4) get out on the last second to go to college

(5) eat a fried-thing at the college cafeteria, or loose the 1st class

(6) get home totaly wreked

(7) wow! a 5 hours sleep before you wake up late on item #1

Innovative and radical, I know, but...

[Futurepower(R)]

If you are tired, sleep.

Re:Innovative and radical, I know, but...

[craXORjack]

If you are tired, sleep.

I would but I need the paycheck.

Dear God, why doesn't someone do a useful study and figure out why I struggle to keep my eyes open all day at work but the moment I am home I feel wide awake!

Re:Innovative and radical, I know, but...

[dunkelfalke]

maybe your inner clock isn't correct. try to take melatonine for a week, at about 23:30 (bit earlier if you stand up at 6.

Re:Innovative and radical, I know, but...

[Anonymous Coward]

Would that be the melatonin containing Mad Cow disease or a different one?

Re:Innovative and radical, I know, but...

[Strange Ranger]

Hey there is no such thing as a "correct" internal clock. And it certainly doesn't help that we still live by an agrarian schedule even though none of us are agrarian workers. Don't believe it? Then explain why if you arrive late it's a HUGE deal, but if you stay late no one cares at all. We still live by the agrarian clock and we still live by agrarian prejudices that place your internal clock (and mine) at the bottom of the abused minority list. Ben Franklin is a total asshole for coining that self fulfulling quote of his - "early to be and early to rise..." With the stroke of his pen he turned NON-morning people into second class citizens.

Anyway, you'll NEVER "fix" your clock, because there's nothing wrong with it. The problem is with something I'm overly fond of calling "Circadian Discrimination". You're a gay mulato Muslim? NO problem! As long as you're a morning person.

All you can do is work around it. Either by using sleep and wake techniques or by changing your schedule. You can make the early schedule Tolerable, or you can try to arrange an Enjoyable later schedule.

The other thing that helps tremendously is a job that doesn't bore you to death.

Re:Innovative and radical, I know, but...

[Anonymous Coward]

I think you might be right. And I know I like your attitude.

Re:Innovative and radical, I know, but...

[Anonymous Coward]

Being an Aerospace Engineering student at Georgia Tech seems to conflict a lot with the whole "getting sleep" thing. Must do homework...must study...can't sleep...*twitches*

Re:Innovative and radical, I know, but...

[Anonymous Coward]

The last thing to add to that is the prevalence of artificial lighting.

Farming is one of the professions still extant that precedes the widespread use of electric lighting (the first artificial light source that could rival the sun). So it makes sense to me that farm schedules should still be tied to the sun by tradition, but city dwellers, working at jobs that came into existence after electric light became common, tend to be on the job 9 to 5. That's already biased towards the night by one hour.. add in the stereotypical geek hours 10-7 and such, and it just gets worse.

Artificial lighting interferes with or (in the case of dark-room inhabiting computer geeks) completely swamps out the primary synchronization signal... sunlight.

So now our body clocks tend to drift around, not being solidly anchored to the planet's rotation.

Of course, I've tested that theory for myself and know that in my case, the synchronization mechanism is just plain busted, so I'll join any movement to slow the damn planet down.

energy and motivation

[cookiepus]

Cocaine or ritalin are probably whay you're looking for. They will both provide you with energy and motivate you to do something.

Re:energy and motivation

[Anonymous Coward]

Cocaine would not be a good choice for what should be obvious reasons. Ritalin or some other amphetamine derivative would probably be a good choice here. Adrafinil/Modafinil might be better depending on how you react to them.

Re:energy and motivation

[cookiepus]

What's wrong with Cocaine?

Re:energy and motivation

[Anonymous Coward]

Cocaine is remarkably ineffective when you're trying to do work. The first line is ok, but a few hours later, it doesn't matter how awake you are, your ability to think is heavily impaired.

Re:energy and motivation

[ryg0r]

You forgot our personal, and definately most uplifting favourite: MDMA

To get motivated...

[ubrkl]

... a few of my friends (although not me yet) have been using NLP to get motivated, Bandler, Robbins, etc... It is scary shit, I've never seen anything like it, going from laid back/lazy to ultra-motivated, get the most out of every single minute mode. NLP is really worth looking into if you have motivation issues, and there's plenty of audio on the subject floating out there.

Re:To get motivated...

[k4_pacific]

That's Neuro Linguistic Programming. It appears to be a technical name for brainwashing.

"Lazyness" is NORMAL

[Anonymous Coward]

When I left Uni and moved into the 'workforce', I often wondered why I found it so hard to actually do work. I mean, I did it, because I had to, but I really just felt so 'blah' about it all the time.

I hadn't felt that way at Uni that I could remember and I really just couldn't place my finger on why I felt like that.

Anyway, long story short, I left paid employment a year ago to go freelance, and it didn't take long for me to realise why I was feeling so lazy before. Put simply, it just takes me a while to get rolling, perhaps 6, 7, 8 hours between the time I get up and the time when I am ready to work. Once I'm ready then I am quite happy to work 10 hours straight without so much as a snack (provided the diet coke is close at hand of course).

I learnt that trying to work before I was in the mood is simply counter productive, I'll be easily distracted, I'll be grumpy and I'll probably get frustrated. But if I just relax and be lazy for a few hours then I'll soon be ready to code all night.

I had a similar philosophy when it came to studying at Uni (and school), if I wasn't in the mood for it then there was no point even trying because I wouldn't be able to concentrate so my time was better spent on other things until I felt like studying.

My point is that lazyness is perfectly normal, everybody feels lazy sometimes, some more than others. If at all possible you should simply accept that you are feeling lazy and do -- precisely whatever you want to do; when you're ready to work you will.

Of course if your stuck in the 9-5 corporate world then you're screwed - your employers won't understand that you would be far more productive if you could choose your own hours.

Re:"Lazyness" is NORMAL

[Paulrothrock]

Ditto. I can't do any work until 2:30 or three, and then I'm rushing to leave by 11.

Solution: Wake up at 1.

Re:"Lazyness" is NORMAL

[trapvector]

thank you for that.

sadly... neither my employers nor my professors care that i am at my best when i sleep until noon and work until 4 am. for that matter, neither does the rest of the american world, which prefers that i do all my business between 9am and 5pm... times which, as we would both agree, i am basically asleep.

i guess i've got a cosmic prescription for failure.

Get rid of caffeine

[Stevyn]

Instead of being hooked on caffeine throughout the day, you should cut it out of your diet. Humans have existed for thousands of years without caffeine so why does everyone think it's nessesary to function? You want to stay awake? Relax and go to sleep. Yeah, I know, easier said than done. But then tell me how taking stimulants throughout the day is going to help you relax?

Re:Get rid of caffeine

[Scrameustache]

Humans have existed for thousands of years without caffeine ...and electricity, and computers, and roads, and cars, and work hours, and watches, and clothes, etc.

When you're at work and you have tasks to accomplish but are feeling to sleepy to do them properly, cafeine is a tool to enhance your productivity.
Sure, its basically your boss medicating you so that you will be his tool, but if you're showing up for you're 9 to 5, you're already subjecting yourself to unhealthy living conditions for money...why not go ahead and drink the koolai...er...cofee while you're at it?

Re:Get rid of caffeine

[Noco]

While your overall point is good, you make assumptions and draw conclusions that don't necessairly follow.

First, just because humans can survive without caffeine doesn't mean we should. I'm pretty sure your "hooked" on electricity but probably don't consider it a vice. Humans have existed without it for thousands of years and yet we don't seem to think its a problem. Yet it provides stimulation to keep us alert and awake (alarm clocks, Muzak, etc.) This is akin to what is commonly called the naturalistic fallacy, excpet worded in the negative. (Just because x is not necessary for existence, then x should not exist [or be used].)

Second, look up some information on amphetamines and ADHD. While I know ADHD is heavily debated in scientific circles, there is evidence that stimulants do help alleviate hyperactivity in some people. Its counterintuitive, I know, but as is often the case, biology and chemistry aren't intuitive. Look at the duck-billed platypus.

Re:Get rid of caffeine

[Anonymous Coward]

It's not counterintuitive at all.
Stimulants help you concentrate. Nicotine, caffeine, amphetamines, they all aid in concentration.

Re:Get rid of caffeine

[Anonymous Coward]

yeah, humans existed for thousands of years, but only lived to an average age of about 25 back then.. its after 30 that people need the coffee!

Espresso, huh?

[barakn]

Afraid to try the real stuff? The darker a bean has been roasted, the less caffeine it has. If I buy the lightest roast I can, I can make coffee so strong that I can barely hold a pencil afterward, though it doesn't taste any stronger than coffee at your favorite greasy-spoon. Ususally I mix a little dark roast in just to make it taste as strong as it actually is, much like adding foul-smelling mercaptans to odorless natural gas so that gas leaks have a smell.

Re:Espresso, huh?

[MrIrwin]

" Afraid to try the real stuff?"

My local bar does offer a very wide range of coffee beans, and they slip a little dark chocolatte onto the side of the cup. Perhaps I will try some of the lighter beans.

Re:Espresso, huh?

[Pathwalker]

Why not just roast it yourself?
It'll be cheaper, fresher, and you can control how light you want it to be.

All you need to get started is an old hot air popcorn popper (with vents on the sides, not a screen on the bottom). Just throw the beans in, and cook until the color is right.

I tend to go for a lighter roast - American to Full City or so.

I used to use a popcorn popper, until I found a nice roaster on clearence for $15.

Not caffiene, but B12

[BryanForbes]

I have found that vitamin B12 is a better solution to keeping me awake. Not only does it keep you awake, but it keeps you alert as well. There have been numerous studies showing that B12 is good for keeping you alert. In fact, any good (read: not Red Bull or Rock Star, which are basically just sugar and caffiene, which will leave you in a blood sugar drop a few hours after you drink them) energy drink will have a high ammount of B12 in it.

Re:Not caffiene, but B12

[cazzazullu]

Beer has a high amount of B12 in it, but it doesn't help me stay awake and alert a single bit, you insensitive clod!

;)

Re:Not caffiene, but B12

[Anonymous Coward]

"Or why not take a big fat placebo? It's all the same crap." -Prof. Farnsworth

Re:Not caffiene, but B12

[mandalayx]

In fact, any good (read: not Red Bull or Rock Star, which are basically just sugar and caffiene, which will leave you in a blood sugar drop a few hours after you drink them) energy drink will have a high ammount of B12 in it.

OK, what is a good energy drink then? What should we drink?

red bull tastes like candy...

Marijuana.

[dynamo]

Seriously, MJ is the best cure for laziness that I've ever tried. Just realize that set/setting matter. If you expect it not to work, it won't. But if you genuinely desire to get a lot done, and try it, in _small_ doses, you just may find things much easier to get a handle on both intellectually and emotionally. I have ADD, I have medication for it, and what I'm prescribed doesn't hold a candle to it, and is much worse in terms of wear and tear on the body.

Re:Marijuana.

[Scrameustache]

MJ is the best cure for laziness that I've ever tried.

I do not doupt that your account is true and informative, but I do believe the guy was looking for a legal way to beat laziness.

Its hard to be productive when you're spending your days trying not to be shanked by all the murderers, rapists and crooked accountants the government decided you should spend the next 10 years with.

Re:Marijuana.

[slithytove]

I don't know of any states with laws draconian enough to send you to prison for any term, much less 10 years for posession of a personal-ish quantity. In some states you might wind up in jail for a few days (I did), but most counties give you a ticket as though you were speeding, which I'd say is the moral equivalent. Actually you might cause an accident by speeding...
And, to second the grandparent post- I find that small quantities are very helpful in quieting my anxiety and distaste in doing things I'd rather not, like laundry, dishes, etc. I find it somewhat difficult to code while stoned, though not impossible.

Re:Marijuana.

[Anonymous Coward]

NORML State Marijuana Penalties

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4516

In case anyone was curious.

Re:Marijuana.

[thenightisdark]

Of course it is. MJ lets you concentrate. Too stoned to get distracted! I have ADD too, and me and my parents (I was in HS at the time) were told by medical professionals that were prescribing medication for me, that MJ does alot of the same changes that the medication does, with fewer negitive side effects. I use to stay up all night, Baked off my ass, and i would get weeks of programing homework done in 1 night. And i take pride in that it usually was many lines shorter, and cleaner than everybody elses. I think it comes from starting and finishing a task in the same sitting.

Speed

[Anonymous Coward]

Cure for laziness? Amphetamines.

staying awake

[Anonymous Coward]

small, repeated doses of dexamphetamine, three hours apart. 5mg a dose. perfect.

Sure...

[BerntB]

Also, it is not that addictive. I have never had a problem quitting.

I see.. you can quit anytime you want? :-)

(Ten years ago, I heard a smoking friend really say she could quit anytime she wanted. I still needle her. :-)

Procrastination...

[confusedneutrino]

I'm doing it right now! *sips 3rd Bawls*

If your doctor won't give you Ritalin

[tepples]

Avoid cocaine in its HCl and freebase forms. The only coke you want is vanilla whose active ingredient is caffeine.

Like SPEED (methamphetamine) and cocaine, RITALIN (methylphenidate) is a schedule II controlled substance. If your doctor won't give you methamphetamine, then just watch this video and get at least some of the effect.

Is coffee good or bad this week?

[lpfarris]

For at least the last twenty years I have been following the medical beliefs around coffee, with it alternately being demonized and canonized.
WRT addiction: without boring you with the details, some of us do suffer quite a bit when we give it up for a while. Quitting smoking was easier than giving up coffee, and that was no picnic.
--- If you think it's immoral or stupid to walk a mile in my shoes, I think it's immoral and stupid for you to pass judgement on me.

Yerba Matte

[KingReuben]

I used to love coffee but eventually switched over to the wonderful world of TEAS. I feel much better on a good green tea buzz than any coffee buzz and my stomach does too!

I should also suggest yerba matte -- actually quite tasty and a different kind of herbal stimulant than caffeine

cocaina is good

[Kaoslord]

just switch to cocaine... for real. its good, good for you, and you get mad shit done...

Coocked yerba mate (Mate cocido) rulez

[Anonymous Coward]

I prefer a hot cup of Yerba Mate Tea (in bags, like tea).
http://www.rain-tree.com/yerbamate.htm
htt p://www.webpost.net/ab/abnet/Mate.htm

Time release caffedrine - remembered, requested

[rjamestaylor]

In 1990 I had a boooorrrrriiiinnnggg programming job customizing a mid-range Unix-based COBOL-written accounting package. Snore.

On top of this I also was placed in the "air conditioner" room of my employer's "office" (the front 1/4 of his house) -- behind me was a very large window unit that pumped out A/C cold and white noise bold. Snore.

So while our NCR Tower did have a couple curses games, there was no FrozenBubble or "Stay Awake" Quake to assist a poor coding monkey (eep). Falling asleep just meant more notes written by the boss' nuerotic wife, whose moment of joy in the two years I knew her was receiving a prescription for Prozac (I jest not).

I needed help. And I found it: Caffedrine with Time Release Action for the Light Lift and Steady Buzz that Lasts and Lasts. Gone were the tummy twirls of NoDoz, multitudinal bathroom breaks due to copious coffee consumption (remember, avoiding Mrs Neurosis' Handy Dandy Notebook is a bonus), and shaky hands that leads to increased ^H-action and accompanying decreased productivity.

But the things are no where to be found anymore. Instead, all I can find are the single tablet Caffedrines that don't offer the time released goodness of the Contact-looking predecessor.

• ThinkGeek! Bring back Time Release Caffedrine!

Thank goodness I am at Starbucks...

+/- 1, Evil

[Dwonis]

Slash should have a (+/- 1, Evil) moderation option, and users should be able to designate their Evil/Not Evil preference. :-)