Can someone please explain this to me?

[fuzzybabybunny]

There have been a couple of times when I'm studying for a test in 4 hours or so and I want to keep myself awake. I'm generally kinda alert at this time. I decide to drink a cup of strong coffee or something similar, and within 10 minutes I'm literally forcing myself to stay awake. This general grogginess of mind and body lasts for the whole day... even into the test...

 

[Steve]

Sometimes I'll have caffeine in the evening and still become tired and fall asleep at the usual time, however it kicks in later and wakes me up early.

 

[Oblivionaire]

You're dehydrated and or hypoglycemic.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doc nor did I stay at a holiday inn express last night.

I have gone through both though.

You need to have your blood sugar tested and you can test your blood pressure at most pharmacies like CVS. They also sell bp testing units you can take home. If your blood pressure is low it could be dehydration. BTW caffeine and alcohol are known diuretics meaning they will dehydrate you.

 

[Perknose]

Consuming a nice cuppa java applet no equal buzzymaybebunny?

Why mess around? Snort methamphetamine and you'll be hopping around the ol' lettuce patch in no time! :laugh:

 

[Mill]

I'm the same way except it doesn't last until the next day. Caffeine while driving or while tired seems to work for about 5 minutes and then I start dozing off wherever I am.

Believe it or not, but Nicotine can do the same thing. When I first quit smoking I had too much gum to fast, and I felt extremely tired. I slept for about 4 hours and then woke up thinking WTF?

 

[NanoStuff]

Does that to some people, I'm one of those people. Can't explain it, but I've heard it may be related to low blood glucose levels. My caloric intake has always been low so it all adds up as far as that goes. Some people's metabolism however just naturally keeps the blood glucose lower than average, which is not necessarily a bad thing, arguably a good thing.

If you want the effects of a stimulant, look into modafinil. More benefits without the side-effects.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: Perknose
Consuming a nice cuppa java applet no equal buzzymaybebunny?

Why mess around? Snort methamphetamine and you'll be hopping around the ol' lettuce patch in no time! :laugh:

Strawberries!!! O M G

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Blood sugar... interesting. My metabolism *is* really high. So should I be eating a lot of sugar before drinking coffee to keep myself awake?

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Blood sugar... interesting. My metabolism *is* really high. So should I be eating a lot of sugar before drinking coffee to keep myself awake?

Drink gas station cappuccinos. They're the ultimate combination of caffeine, sugar, and petroleum by-products; they'll keep you on the road for HOURS.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
There have been a couple of times when I'm studying for a test in 4 hours or so and I want to keep myself awake. I'm generally kinda alert at this time. I decide to drink a cup of strong coffee or something similar, and within 10 minutes I'm literally forcing myself to stay awake. This general grogginess of mind and body lasts for the whole day... even into the test...

Every body chemistry is different.

Those Over the Counter medications that say "warning will make you drowsy" fire my a$$ up that I can't sleep.

 

[Hossenfeffer]

Try some ritalin

 

[Oblivionaire]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Blood sugar... interesting. My metabolism *is* really high. So should I be eating a lot of sugar before drinking coffee to keep myself awake?

Eating a lot of sugar is probably not the best idea IF you do have hypoglycemia. Reason being your body will just dump tons of insulin into your bloodstream and counteract it leaving you low again. Your aim should be to lessen the ups and downs of blood glucose levels by eating sensible foods throughout the day. Not eating for long periods of time would make it worse so try and eat more often and perhaps smaller meals. Not 1 or 2 large meals a day but at least 3 meals a day and don't skip breakfast!

That is all IF you have hypoglycemia which you won't know until you get tested. See a doc and find out what is wrong.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: Oblivionaire

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Blood sugar... interesting. My metabolism *is* really high. So should I be eating a lot of sugar before drinking coffee to keep myself awake?

Eating a lot of sugar is probably not the best idea IF you do have hypoglycemia. Reason being your body will just dump tons of insulin into your bloodstream and counteract it leaving you low again. Your aim should be to lessen the ups and downs of blood glucose levels by eating sensible foods throughout the day. Not eating for long periods of time would make it worse so try and eat more often and perhaps smaller meals. Not 1 or 2 large meals a day but at least 3 meals a day and don't skip breakfast!

That is all IF you have hypoglycemia which you won't know until you get tested. See a doc and find out what is wrong.

D'oh. I think you may be on the money. I often eat just one huge meal a day. Wake up, skip breakfast because I gotta get to class, then I skip lunch because the food on campus is poopy and expensive. When I get back home I make a large, healthy dinner. The reason I tend to skip breakfast is primarily time and the fact that I don't really like breakfast foods, but also because it tends to make me hungry for lunch, and I really don't want to eat lunch on campus and I don't have time to go off campus.

 

[TraumaRN]

The amount of bad medical advice that is being tossed around makes my nurse brain spin....

And if caffeine makes u feel like sh!t....then dont consume it. I know it makes me crash and burn after about 2 hours, so i try to avoid it like the plague. Which is harder and harder to do cuz they sneak caffeine into all sorts of things nowadays.

Also of note is something stimulants can have weird, and opposite effects on people.

Example is that Ritalin is technically a stimulant, however when given to children, it tends to calm them down. Yet in adults its used to treat narcolepsy. Go figure.

Dont worry about. Perhaps just try and avoid caffeine when you can

 

[Oblivionaire]

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny

Originally posted by: Oblivionaire

Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
Blood sugar... interesting. My metabolism *is* really high. So should I be eating a lot of sugar before drinking coffee to keep myself awake?

Eating a lot of sugar is probably not the best idea IF you do have hypoglycemia. Reason being your body will just dump tons of insulin into your bloodstream and counteract it leaving you low again. Your aim should be to lessen the ups and downs of blood glucose levels by eating sensible foods throughout the day. Not eating for long periods of time would make it worse so try and eat more often and perhaps smaller meals. Not 1 or 2 large meals a day but at least 3 meals a day and don't skip breakfast!

That is all IF you have hypoglycemia which you won't know until you get tested. See a doc and find out what is wrong.

D'oh. I think you may be on the money. I often eat just one huge meal a day. Wake up, skip breakfast because I gotta get to class, then I skip lunch because the food on campus is poopy and expensive. When I get back home I make a large, healthy dinner. The reason I tend to skip breakfast is primarily time and the fact that I don't really like breakfast foods, but also because it tends to make me hungry for lunch, and I really don't want to eat lunch on campus and I don't have time to go off campus.

Yeah that's not good and I had the same problem. It will only get worse if you keep doing that but the whole thing can be reversed in no time at all. You need to fit more meals into your schedule. In the meantime you can snack on protien or health bars between meals to help out but don't use them in place of meals.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: DeathBUA
The amount of bad medical advice that is being tossed around makes my nurse brain spin....

If we gave them GOOD advice, they'd go away. Giving them bad advice ensures a future post of "I did what you guys said, and now...<hilarious medical story>."

 

[CellarDoor]

The best way to keep yourself awake is eating an apple. I hear it's like 6 times more effective than drinking a cup of coffee.

 

[SWScorch]

Originally posted by: CellarDoor
The best way to keep yourself awake is eating an apple. I hear it's like 6 times more effective than drinking a cup of coffee.

My Snapple bottle cap tonight said 3 times, I think

 

[dighn]

I find caffeine pretty useless as an energy booster for me as well. If I drink a little, it makes no difference, and if I drink enough to get some kind of effect, it makes me shake.