Draft 1 of Exploratory Essay

Justin Cho
English 110, Section SEK
Professor Matyakubova
1 October 2017
Draft 1 of Exploratory Essay
Energize our bodies
“Wake up and smell the coffee” This quote means that no matter how unpleasant the situation you must accept it. This relates to the actual beverage coffee because it is affecting our students in many ways and we must realize this. Coffee is a drink made from the roasted coffee beans that come from certain coffee trees. But, coffee contains the addictive drug called caffeine which is a stimulant for the central nervous system. This may explain why coffee is one of the most popular drinks here in the United States especially among students. 
Coffee gives people that boost of energy for another exhausting day of work. This is great for students who really want to be focused and awake for class. However, coffee may be giving people that boost of energy for a price. College students who drink coffee is feeling more stressed and has been having poor sleep quality. Coffee can help a student learn better, but may strain the student’s mental ability.
Coffee affects many college students especially medical students who may be more academically stressed. According to the “Journal Of The American Podiatric Medical Association” by Sawah MA and many others, college students in the medical field are required to contain a vast amount of information and, keep up with tight schedules causing them to lean toward coffee which has a lot of caffeine. These researchers conducted a study on 98 podiatric medical students who drink coffee to determine their sleep quality, sleepiness, and stress quality. According to their research, “A total of 68.3% of podiatric medical students showed poor sleep quality” (MA 431) which shows that coffee has some relation to poor sleep quality. Also, “Coffee consumption and ED [Energy Drinks] intake improve psychomotor performance at the same time, they have a detrimental effect on sleep and daytime functioning, and they increase depression and anxiety in college students” (MA 432). Solutions mentioned in the article for a student who wish to improve their sleep quality is by managing their stress or by drinking less coffee. To conclude, college student experience an increase in psychomotor performance which enables them to give more attention to motor activities, but it may have negative effects on their mental state.
Coffee is a great tool for staying awake, but there may be some side effects we may not be aware of. In the article, “School pupils and university students surveyed for drinking beverages containing caffeine.” by Górnicka M and other authors suggest that modest intakes of coffee are beneficial for your health. To support, “Modest intakes of caffeine (i.e. 200 – 300 mg) are beneficial to health through being a stimulant of the central nervous system (CNS), muscle activity, heart and kidneys”(M 114). Since the CNS, muscle activity, and heart, and kidney is being stimulated fatigue and tension in smooth muscles of the vasculature is decreased. However, “Excessive daily intakes above 400 mg may however cause agitation, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irritability, nervousness”(M 114). Also, children are more likely to be affected negatively because their central nervous system and metabolism is still developing and caffeine stimulants these areas. Countries such as Canada has “... have maximum daily intakes of caffeine been established for children aged below 12 years” (M 114) shows that caffeine if taken excessively especially people in the younger age groups can be affected more drastically than their older counterparts. Therefore, moderate intakes of coffee for students is helpful by giving them the energy they need, but if taken excessively it can harmful to their brain and body.
Coffee affects a student’s memory. In the article, “Effect of the volatile coffee components on memory in sleep deprived students” by Raquel and others conducted a research on how coffee affects a student’s short-term memory and long-term memory. Coffee affects the “cortical structures that regulate the short-term memory, like the frontal areas of the cerebral cortex, are more sensitive to the effects of volatile components of coffee” (Raquel 46), which improves short term memory. However, coffee does not affect “the structures that regulate the long-term memory, like the hippocampus” (Raquel 46), therefore students may forget things more easily long-term. Coffee improves short-term memory, but long-term memory may continually deteriorate.
Coffee can be beneficial to a person's overall health which can translate into better studying, and learning habits. In the article “COFFEE: A CUP THAT MAKES STUDYING EASIER “mentions “At times when it gets a little too difficult to focus, a coffee break will offer a welcome change of mind by enhancing concentration and stimulating moods” which is great for anyone who may feel more stressed. Also, in another article titled “Effects of Caffeine on Study Habits” they mention the positives and negatives of a person’s overall health. To support,” Having a strong heartbeat will help college students stay oxygenated and more awake because of the high concentration of oxygen in their blood flow” which helps people study better. However, with excessive amounts of coffee can cause an over-stimulation could occur and have effects such as “...restlessness, jumpiness, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, irregular heartbeat, twitching of muscles and excess amount of acids in the stomach, which can lead to abdominal pain and nausea". Students who may drink more than they need for a test or homework can be in a lot of discomfort due to these symptoms and may not be able to complete their academic work properly.
From my research there is many negative effects that coffee may cause such as sleepiness, deterioration of long-term memory, and symptoms such as headaches. But, all these effects would mostly occur because a student would take an excessive amount of coffee or caffeine. An adult should take a maximum amount of 400 g of caffeine, but people most likely do not follow these standards and drink however amount they want to. As, there are no regulations on the amount of caffeine a student or any person can drink in the United States of America. In comparison to a nation such as Canada they have placed regulations on the amount of caffeine a child and adult is able to consume. Caffeine affects the central nervous system which is very important for any person who is going to school as the central nervous system controls the brain. To continue, for a student who still has their central nervous system developing, but if this area was over-stimulated it may lead to negative effects which may be irreversible. However, this is all effects from an excessive amount of caffeine. And if caffeine is used in a moderate level it can good for one’s health as it raises alertness. Also, it stimulates the brain to help them remember things short-term much more quickly, and may improves one’s mood with the extra energy. Also, coffee is great for students who need the boost of energy, whenever they are feeling tired because of an excess amount of work college may give them. As it also helps students with long nights of work to stay awake and finish their homework. To conclude, coffee can help a student learn better and other side effects can be avoided by the controlling the amount of coffee the students drink.

Citation page

●       “Coffee.” Dictionary.com, Dictionarycom, www.dictionary.com/browse/coffee. 
●       Petre, Alina. “What Is Caffeine, and Is It Good or Bad For Health?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 1 May 2016, www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-caffeine.
●       MA, Sawah, et al. “Perceived Stress and Coffee and Energy Drink Consumption Predict Poor Sleep Quality in Podiatric Medical Students A Cross-Sectional Study.” Health Source: Consumer Edition [EBSCO], 13 Dec. 2016,
●       Raquel. “Effect of the Volatile Coffee Components on Memory in Sleep Deprived Students.”Health Source: Consumer Edition [EBSCO].
●       “Effects of Caffeine on Study Habits (with Image) · Thomsocl.” Storify, storify.com/thomsocl/affects-of-caffeine-on-study-habits.
●       “Coffee: A Cup That Makes Studying Easier | Your Family's Nutrition | Nestlé Family ME.”Coffee and Studying | Is Coffee Good for Studying? | Nestlé Family ME, www.nestle-family.com/nutrition-for-all/english/coffee-a-cup-that-makes-studying-easier_783074.aspx.

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