6A
the university daily kansan
news
tuesday, october 21, 2003
UP ALL NIGHT: Students fight sleep for last-minute work
By Steve Schmidt
sschmidt@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
When other University of Kansas students might be sleeping at 1 a.m. on a weeknight, Melisa Higginbotham is working.
The Iola junior prefers to gain knowledge nocturnally. Last week she started a paper for her international politics class at about 1 a.m. and
finished at about 4 a.m.
As midterms continue this week, some students have resorted to artificial energy in the form of caffeine and other stimulants to stay productive through the night.
"That's the only studying I can do," Higginbotham said, who could not stand studying when the sun was out. "You should be doing other things
Miller, Ottawa junior, said he often worked on art projects for class as late or early—as 7 or 8 a.m., and often resorted to a pot and a half of coffee in extreme instances. Miller also had taken caffeine pills like No-Doz that helped with alertness and other pills, such as Aderol and Concerta, a form of Ritalin.
"It just depends what's done or not, if that means not sleeping then that's just what the case is," Miller said.
He said he often studied late at night for tests, but it was better to cram than not study at all.
John Wade, psychologist at KU
Chris Miller
Ottawa Junior
tive way to retain information.
“In terms of time effectively well-spent, it's not the way to do it,” Wade said. “Studying is like lifting weights. It's better to space it over several days
"It just depends what's done or not, if that means not sleeping then that's just what the case is."
than to do it all at once. I realize it's easier said than done, but I think it's important."
Wade also did not recommend stu.
dents use stimulants, such as caffeine pills, because of health reasons. He said stimulants
could be harmful to the body unless they are prescribed by a doctor.
"It illustrates to me if you're feeling that desperate, you're just in a bad situation if you're behind what you're doing." Wendy said.
you're studying, wade said.
Side effects of stimulants.
Side effects of stimulants could include jitteriness, restlessness and irritability, said Ann Chapman, coordinator of
nutrition services at Watkins Memorial Health Center.
"It definitely does increase alertness for a period of time, but it is a drug and does have the potential in large doses to have adverse effects," Chapman said.
Miller said that he had experienced feeling mentally drained after he used energy drugs, but said they worked when he needed it.
Health food stores, such as Community Mercantile Co-op, 901 Iowa St., sell more natural alternatives to No-Doz.
"I don't sell caffeine pills. For people that are looking for that natural
stimulant that's why we have them," said Hal Sears, wellness manager at the store.
Sears said that his two most popular products for stimulant use had been guarana, an Amazonian root
that produced a mild, natural caffeine and ginseng, an herb that also improved alertness.
Chapman said that food could also play a role in the studying process. She said that there was clinical evidence that showed foods high in protein, such as chicken, roast beef, ham and eggs, could make a person more alert compared to other foods. Foods high in carbohydrates, like pasta, could cause drowsiness and decreased alertness.
Wade also recommended students take frequent short breaks, skim the text and work with the material by anticipating possible questions.
Other students do not share any interest in late-night reading or taking anv stimulants.
John Jordan, Salina sophomore,
said he never studied after 11 p.m. He
said he preferred to study 45 minutes
to an hour and then take a 10- to 15-
minute break.
"After a while, I can't study anymore," Jordan said. "I don't think it's going to help me enough to be worth it."
— Edited by Scott Christie
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