That’s a little over-simplified. It blocks the sensation of being tired and also has several significant mental effects (including improved reaction time, wakefulness, and hand-eye coordination), as well as physical effects (including increasing basal metabolic rate and improving athletic performance under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions).
So, is caffeine a wonder drug that fixes sleep deprivation with no negative side effects? No. Is it “way worse than drinking nothing” for people that need to stay awake and pay attention with a less-than-ideal amount of sleep? Absolutely not.
Caffeine doesn’t actually help you wake up, it only blocks the sensation of being tired. So it’s actually way worse than drinking nothing.
That’s a little over-simplified. It blocks the sensation of being tired and also has several significant mental effects (including improved reaction time, wakefulness, and hand-eye coordination), as well as physical effects (including increasing basal metabolic rate and improving athletic performance under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions).
So, is caffeine a wonder drug that fixes sleep deprivation with no negative side effects? No. Is it “way worse than drinking nothing” for people that need to stay awake and pay attention with a less-than-ideal amount of sleep? Absolutely not.