thursday,december 11,2003
news
the university daily kansan 9A
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SLEEP: Trading health for grades
CONTINUED FROM 1A
--serious.
Caffeine is a stimulant, much like ephedrine and other amphetamines.
Though it is not as powerful as its over-the-counter or illegal cousins, caffeine's effects desired and otherwise are similar.
The stimulant goes to work within 15 to 45 minutes of consumption and can continue to influence sleep patterns for eight to 10 hours afterward, though these effects vary from person to person.
Brown said that its overuse could even be life-threatening, especially when coupled with heart problems.
As finals week approaches, Brown said he saw more and more patients who had taken something to stay awake and had bad reactions.
"I've seen some patients that will do anything to stay up all night and finish their project," Brown said. He said he had to refer a few people to the hospital every year with irregular heartbeats, possibly brought on by abuse of stimulants.
Brown said that during this time of the semester, as people combined stressing about school with stimulants, patients with other symptoms such as lightheadedness and tightness of breathing showed up frequently.
"They feel like they're not getting enough air, they breathe deeply and wind up making it worse," he said. "If they're going into their tests this way, it can't be conducive to thinking clearly."
Photo Illustration by Megan True
Several students from the University of Kansas admitted to using it once or twice when cramming for a test, while others used it more frequently.
✳ ✳ ✳
Adderall, which is illegal to take without a prescription, is another late-night study aid that is growing in popularity at universities around the country.
Normally doctors prescribe the drug to treat Attention-
Empty pop cans and coffee cups litter a corner of a computer lab in Learned Hall at 1 a.m.yesterday.The students working there had less than 12 hours until their projects were due.
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) because it increases focus and attention span.
Some students without ADHD, however, buy Adderall from friends who have a prescription.
One University student said he used it regularly.
"It puts you in a zone," the student said. "It's hard to explain. You're really focused and relaxed and not tired at all."
The student, who asked to remain nameless because his use of the drug is a felony, started taking Adderal two years ago when a friend recommended it to him. Three friends supply him now, he said. The student said he took it about twice a month to help him study for business and finance tests.
Though he doesn't always have to pay for them, the most the student said he had ever spent on Adderall was $5 for two pills.
The student said he usually kept some Adderall stocked away just in case, and planned to use it through the rest of college, including during finals this semester.
Adderall comes in 12- and 4-hour doses. When he had finance tests at 9 in the morning, the student said he took one of the 12-hour pills at 11 p.m. the night before and studied all night up to the test.
Adderall is an amphetamine, so trafficking or owning Adderall without a prescription is illegal under chapter 65 of the Kansas statutes, said Shelley Diehl, Douglas County deputy district attorney.
Possessing the drug without a prescription is a level four drug felony that could lead to anywhere from 10 to 42 months in prison, Diehl said.
Diehl said that punishment would depend on previous offenses.
While someone caught with Adderall would probably only receive probation and treatment for the first two offenses, Diehl said a third offense would certainly land the possessor in prison.
Trafficking Adderal is a level two drug felony, which is more
Anyone caught selling the drug illegally would face jail time immediately, even if it were a first offense.
If they were convicted, they could spend between 46 and 83 months in prison, Diehl said.
--ine Raytown, Mo., senior said that he had avoided caffeine as a study aid ever since his third year of school.
Legal and health concerns aren't the only reasons some students avoid caffeine and amphetamines when working late.
Clinton Enyear is in his fifth year of architecture at the University, and he said that he had stopped taking caffeine while working on projects.
Eneyart said that once during his second year, after drinking 60 oz. of Mr. Pibb in six hours, his hand shook so badly that he couldn't draw a straight line.
"Not only is it probably detrimental to your health, it's definitely detrimental to the project because you're not able to do as good a job," he said.
**Avoid spicy foods and eating too fast.** These can cause heartburn in some people, keeping them awake.
SLEEP 101: GETTING THE REST YOU NEED
Of course,try telling that to the 20 or so chemical engineering majors sitting in their computer lab four weeks ago.
Avoid eating right before bed: A heavy stomach can make it harder to get comfortable to sleep. On the other hand, avoid going to bed too hungry — hunger pains can keep you awake too. If you must eat before bed, have a light snack.
**Avoid alcohol.** Though alcohol is a sedative and can help you get to clean faster, it will also cause you to wake up more often.
two?" one girl shrieked as she looked at a clock.
Create a relaxing atmosphere: Temperature and humidity can affect the quality of your sleep, so figure out what atmosphere suits you best.
Karen Nordheden, an associate professor in chemical and petroleum engineering, said she understood what the students were going through, but that procrastination was as likely a culprit for their late nights as their workload.
"It's not our fault if they put it off till the last minute," she said.
Nordheden did say that when she was an undergraduate in physics at Michigan State, she often stayed up until 2 or 3 in the morning for the same rea-
That kind of stress kept the students up all night, and kept them going to the coffee machine, or other sources of caffeine, to help them stay focused.
With such an important project, failing the assignment could have meant failing the class.
Try a relaxing routine: Take a hot bath or shower to loosen your muscles.
Keep it quiet Wear earplugs or listen to relaxing music to drown out noise commotions or background noise.
Source: National Sleep Foundation
Experts say that adults should get between six and eight hours of sleep every night. During finals week, sleep often comes at a premium, and rarely in sufficient quantity. Here's how to make the best of what little sleep you can get:
Several of them pulled all-nighters in the lab to complete the next phase of their semester-long project that was due the following day.
Avoid tobacco and caffeine before bed: Both are stimulants, and caffeine can affect sleep patterns for hours after use.
"I'm pretty much all on chemicals right now," said Jon Akers, an engineering student. "I cann't — it's a good thing I'm not an English major right now, because I can't say anything that makes sense."
The Kansas City, Kan., senior had just had eight cans of Coke in a half hour, he said, and had used them as part of a soda-can pyramid on one wall of the lab.
Exercise, but not right before bed: Exercise can tire you out and deepen your sleep, but because it also raises your heart rate it can disrupt sleep patterns unless done more than two or three hours before bed.
On the opposite wall, a frequently-visited coffee pot sat atop a computer tower accompanied by sugar and cream next to the computer's monitor
To try to ease the students' plight, she said that she and other C&PE professors coordinated assignments so that everything wouldn't be due on the same day.
then we have to grade all of them."
But no amount of coordination among professors would help the students if they decided to procrastinate, she said.
On good God, it's almost
--during the day to prepare for the night's work.
There are alternatives to pills and caffeinated drinks.
Nordheden admitted that even she sometimes still fell victim to procrastination.
Two Sundays ago, she had to stay up until 1 a.m. grading tests for one of her classes because she hadn't felt like working on them during Thanksgiving break.
Loud music kept Allison Johnson and her architecture studio working, the St. Louis junior said.
"It's a vicious cycle," she said.
"We give exams, you take them and
When necessity forces wakefulness, many students turn to non-chemical solutions.
Johnson said she often stayed up until 2 or 2:30 a.m. building models.
To stay entertained as sleepiness set in, she said that sometimes her friends in studio pulled pranks on each other, such as gluing the seats of peoples' chairs.
Maggie Richter, another St. Louis junior in architecture, said that she took short power naps
Both Richter and Johnson agreed that working in a group helped more than caffeine.
Some people, she said, even brought sleeping bags into studio so they could nap quickly and go straight back to work without having to drive home.
"No matter how much coffee you drink, if you're alone, it's just really easy to give up for the night." Johnson said.
The Anapolis, Md., senior said that running was the only thing that would keep him awake and ready to go to class in the morning after he finished his work.
When pulling all-nighters, long runs also helped, Ian Palke said.
In the end, Palko said that all of the sleep deprivation and hard
work would be worth it.
"I heard we get paid a lot when we get out," he said.
"Whatever," A k e r s responded, as people scurried around the computer lab where he and Palko were pulling another all-nighter. "We're going to wind up giving all our money to therapists anyway."
The Food and Drug Administration recommends that adults consume less than 300 mg of caffeine per day.
Edited Scott Christie
Sean Smith/Kansan
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