Coffee can help sleepy drivers stay awake: Australian study

Sydney, Australia, October 31: Boozing one cup of coffee before going on a long journey could help drivers keep drowsiness at bay, suggests a new Australian study.

It is already known that a cup of coffee acts as a good stimulant and keeps drivers alert on road for hours. Now, authenticating this common belief, researchers at the Swinburne University of Technology (SUT) in Melbourne, Australia have revealed that coffee has the long-lasting effect needed for long drives.

To confirm coffee's effect on drowsiness, Natalie Michael and Dr John Patterson of SUT's Sensory Neuroscience Lab carried out tests using a new spectacle-like instrument that counts the number of times a person blinks.

"In our project we used the Australian-designed Optalert, which measures drowsiness by observing total duration of eye blinks and the ratio of amplitude and velocity of eye closure during blinking," said Dr Patterson.

To judge the effectiveness of caffeine on wakefulness, SUT researchers recruited a group of drivers aged between 18 and 29 and gave them either a capsule containing 200mg of caffeine, which is nearly equivalent to two cups of coffee, or a placebo.

The researchers found that those who had been administered the caffeine had improved alertness and also showed improved reaction times that persisted for about three hours. Like the improved alertness, improved reaction time was also measured by the new optical instrument.

Different methods, including frequent stops for a brisk walk and coffee breaks, have been recommended over the years for anyone undertaking long distance driving, to refresh oneself and have an opportunity to stretch legs and have a look around. Road safety authorities also have in the past recommended that anyone undertaking long distances should stop for a brisk walk, take a power nap, and drink coffee to stay alert.

“However, road safety authorities were faced with conflicting evidence on the benefits of drinking coffee,” Dr. Patterson said. “Some research showed heightened alertness after caffeine administration, whereas other studies did not.”

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), driver fatigue is a serious problem resulting in many thousands of road accidents each year. Young male drivers, truck drivers, company car drivers and shift workers are most at risk of falling asleep while driving. However, any driver traveling long distances or when tired is at risk of a sleep related accident.

RoSPA said drivers do so many things to keep themselves awake and alert when driving but most of the methods are ineffective. Drinking at least 150 mg of caffeine and taking a nap of around 15 minutes are the only measures that help to reduce sleepiness, it recommends. But these should only be regarded as emergency measures.