Independent on Saturday

How too much caffeine can lead to sleep deprivation

wellness

Recently, a 32-year-old patient of mine told me he had driven to work and fallen asleep behind the wheel at a red light.

To his chagrin, he was pulled over by an officer who arrested him on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. He wasn’t.

It turns out he was driving under the powerful influence of chronic sleep deprivation, which he thought he could keep at bay with ever-increasing amounts of caffeine.

Feeling overwhelmed by the gruelling pace of his graduate studies and teaching responsibilities,

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