Caffeine and Sleep in East Tennessee students

Abstract Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant that works on the central nervous system and is widely consumed for its ability to increase alertness. The well-known effects of caffeine consumption include increasing alertness and focus. In addition, this caffeine consumption is well known for its ability to interrupt sleep. In previous studies investigating the prevalence of caffeine consumption, students indicated that caffeine consumption was a prevalent behavior sought after to improve academic and athletic performance in the college students studied (Mahoney et al., 2019). Current American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for caffeine consumption of 100 mg/day for those under 18 seem optimistic given the prevalence of caffeine consumption indicated in current literature. Current studies in medical students in the Middle East have indicated high levels of caffeine consumption and lacking sleep as well as elevated anxiety and depression symptoms. This study aims to bridge the gap on caffeine consumption, sleep, and associated behaviors in American students in the East Tennessee area. The method utilized a survey distributed through the REDCap platform. The survey was constructed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) as well as an original caffeine consumption portion of the survey. An open response section was provided so that respondents may be able to provide specific factors that may have contributed to their loss of sleep or increased caffeine intake. The final sample included 97 responses from high school and college students between the ages of 14 and 45, of which 57 were deemed fully completed and able to be analyzed. Analysis revealed that there was a correlation between decreased sleep and increased caffeine intake. 63.2% of respondents indicated caffeine consumption. For the individuals 18 and under, 75% of respondents indicated caffeine consumption over the healthy guidelines indicated by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Additionally, in the free response section, 27% of respondents indicated that they were unable to sleep due to stress brought on by school or homework, while 15% of respondents indicated that they had been able to get sufficient sleep because of stress. This study offers insight into the higher than recognized caffeine usage within students. Additionally, sleep levels were generally below the recommended guidelines. This data prompts further studies looking into adolescent mental health, associated with the lacking sleep and high caffeine levels, as well as prompts schools to potentially offer additional resources to combat the mental health detriment that may be suffered as a result of lacking sleep and excessive caffeine intake.