Spinoff of Geordicat's Thread: "Just Drink Lots of Caffeine."

[NEDESAPIO]

Geordicat's "asprin" thread reminds me of a situation my brother got into during his first year of college.  I think he should have used "the line."

My brother was taking a regular course load and was a member of the school orchestra, as a violinist.  One night he had an early-evening rehearsal (which was supposed to end at 6:00 or 6:30), after which he was going to go home and finish his homework for the next morning, so he could go to bed at a reasonable hour.  Well, the orchestra leader (a student herself) decided to make it a late-night rehearsal, and my brother protested that he had homework that was due the next day.  The orchestra leader's response?  "Well, just have a drink with lots of caffeine in it, then you can stay up all night to finish your work." 

The assumption was that since a lot of college students do that kind of thing (stay up all night finishing assignments), then my brother would necessarily want to do it, too.  The fact is, he's the kind of person who needs at least nine hours of sleep a night; morevoer, he doesn't like rushing to do things at the last minute.

I just thought the orchestra leader's response was very presumptuous.  (I forget what my brother actually ended up doing, by the way.) 

 



 

[Sterling]

That is insane and silly.  I have heard that to because I am working 50-60 hours a week while also taking a very heavy course load in grad school.  I don't do all nighters.  I need my sleep to function and not bite people in half.

[geordicat]

some people!!   

[NEDESAPIO]

I suppose he could also have asked, "Why would I want to do that."

Just to clarify, the orchestra leader was delaying the ending time of the rehearsal from 6:00 or 6:30 to 8:00 or 8:30.  If she'd told everyone to go home, get their homework finished, and then come back later for the rehearsal...then that would have been more reasonable. 

[CG]

I have this interesting thing with things that people say should make you sleep or make you stay awake.

My body does the opposite.

Caffeine calms me down. Benadryl and Excedrin PM both make me bounce off the walls.

It's very amusing to watch their reactions when I do a double-blink and ask them if they really want me to do the opposite...

[Warbaby]

Count me in as another one whose body reacts strangely.  I can drink a cup of coffee and be sound asleep less than ten minutes later.  I've been given medications that the doctor and pharmacist swore would not make me drowsy; wrong!!  I've been given medications that the doctor and pharmacist swore would put me to sleep; wrong again!!

I'd love to see someone do a study to see how many of us react opposite to the expected results on things like that.

[goblue2539]

I'm not sure if this still holds true, but an opposite reaction to stimulants is considered a sign of ADD or ADHD.  Happens with my uncle too. 

Now, I'm not assuming anyone who's said that they react oppositely is ADHD.  I just wanted to share.

[blue2000]

This reminds me of when I was in school and the administration was proposing a tuition hike. Most of the students said they could not afford it.

Admin said  "It's not that much - about the cost of a few beers a month. So just drink a little less and you will be able to afford it."

The screams of rage from the drinkers and non-drinkers alike lasted longer than the tuition hike!

[blue2000]

Count me in as another one whose body reacts strangely.  I can drink a cup of coffee and be sound asleep less than ten minutes later.  I've been given medications that the doctor and pharmacist swore would not make me drowsy; wrong!!  I've been given medications that the doctor and pharmacist swore would put me to sleep; wrong again!!

I'd love to see someone do a study to see how many of us react opposite to the expected results on things like that.

Caffeine, allergy meds, or anything like that seems to have exactly the same effect on me, no matter what the label says. I'm a little more alert, but if I'm tired, I'm still tired. If I go to bed, I'll still fall asleep.

I have yet to find anything that will actually keep me awake, much to my dismay.

[CG]

I'm not sure if this still holds true, but an opposite reaction to stimulants is considered a sign of ADD or ADHD.  Happens with my uncle too. 

Now, I'm not assuming anyone who's said that they react oppositely is ADHD.  I just wanted to share.

The psychologist called my type of ADHD "poster-child".

 

[bionelly]

I have this interesting thing with things that people say should make you sleep or make you stay awake.

My body does the opposite.

Caffeine calms me down. Benadryl and Excedrin PM both make me bounce off the walls.

It's very amusing to watch their reactions when I do a double-blink and ask them if they really want me to do the opposite...

For me, sleep meds make me sleepy, but stimulants don't do anything unless I take pretty high doses, and then I end up tired but jittery (which is a kind of bizarre feeling).  Coffee will put me to sleep, but I think it's just because it's a warm drink, not because of the caffeine, because iced coffee doesn't have that effect on me.  It's like I'm just immune to stimulants.  I kind of wonder if it's a metabolic issue or something.