Sophie Curzon
Ergonomics (Human Factors)
Final year project
The Effects of Caffeine on Sleep Quality and Subsequent Morning Driving Performance
infoassurance.com
Sophie Curzon
Fatigue has been regularly cited as one of the leading causes of road traffic accidents, namely due to increasing pressures and higher demands within modern society. Caffeine use is often promoted as a stimulant to tackle fatigue, however its role in reducing sleep quality through evening use is regularly overlooked, alongside its effect on subsequent morning commuter driving.
Many studies have identified negative effects of caffeine on sleep ability, alongside effects of sleep deprivation on driving performance. However, there is a lack of literature which explores these various factors interrelations and to what extent they affect one another; which this study aims to do within a realistic situation. This study will analyse reaction rate changes, driving performance, sleep quality alongside subjective sleepiness to asses the prevalence of fatigued driving in response to a habitual caffeinated beverage before bed.