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Caffeine and Naps as Countermeasures for Sleep Loss

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Sleep Deprivation and Disease

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Abstract

Sleep loss is common, whether due to sleep deprivation (one extended wake episode) or sleep restriction (multiple sleep episodes of insufficient duration). Its causes encompass primary medical or psychiatric causes as well as self-selected behaviors such as not allowing sufficient time for sleep due to work, social, or family demands. Once primary causes are ruled out or addressed, there are a range of potential countermeasures that may be useful to increase alertness and performance. Here we review studies of caffeine (often in the form of coffee) and naps as countermeasures in the setting of sleep deprivation or sleep restriction, in laboratory and field study settings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Yvonne Alameddine B.A.

  2. Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Elizabeth B. Klerman M.D., Ph.D.

  3. Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Matt T. Bianchi M.D., Ph.D., M.M.Sc.

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  1. Yvonne Alameddine B.A.
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  2. Elizabeth B. Klerman M.D., Ph.D.
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  3. Matt T. Bianchi M.D., Ph.D., M.M.Sc.
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Correspondence to Matt T. Bianchi M.D., Ph.D., M.M.Sc. .

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  1. Department of Neurology Sleep Division, Harvard Medical School Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Matt T. Bianchi

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Alameddine, Y., Klerman, E.B., Bianchi, M.T. (2014). Caffeine and Naps as Countermeasures for Sleep Loss. In: Bianchi, M. (eds) Sleep Deprivation and Disease. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9087-6_17

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