- Researchers consider insufficient sleep to be an unrecognized worldwide health issue.
- People who have sleep issues commonly use caffeine during the day to stay awake and alcohol at night to help them sleep.
- Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine found people who use both substances did not perceive a reduction in their sleep quality.
- Scientists believe this false perception may lead to a habitual self-medicating cycle that people do not realize, leading to poor sleep.
Insufficient sleep is considered by researchers to be an unrecognized
Past studies show around
People who find themselves tired during the day from poor sleep commonly drink caffeinated beverages during the day to help them stay awake.
These same people may also drink alcohol at night to help them sleep.
Now, a new study published in the journal
Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine found study participants who used caffeine during the day and alcohol at night did not perceive a reduction in their sleep quality, despite the substances reducing perceived sleep quality when studied individually.
Scientists believe this false perception may lead to a habitual self-medicating cycle that people do not realize, leading to poor sleep.
According to Frank Song, a researcher and fourth-year clinical psychology doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine and lead author of this study, even though prior research has taught people the negative effects of caffeine, and separately, alcohol on sleep, there had not been a study looking into how the two substances together affect sleep as individuals go about…
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