Too Much Caffeine

[divelong]

Night before a big match, I was really, really tired, but couldn't fall asleep. I tossed and turned until around 5am, when I think I finally drifted off. I got woken up at 6am by my buddies for breakfast so we could be on the range for 7am. To try and wake myself up, I sucked back a couple Red Bull in the car. No effect. A half hour later, I reached into the glove box for the caffeine pills I keep in case of late night drives and popped one of those. After 15 minutes, feeling absolute no effects from either of the previous two, I took another caffeine pill (against the instructions on the bottle). 10 minutes later, everything kicked in. I was too wired to do anything effectively.

In retrospect, that was pretty dumb, and if I was in poorer physical condition, could have been potentially damaging.

I don't drink Red Bull before shooting anymore, and the caffeine pills stay in the car.

I'm a crappy sleep to begin with, but I get into periods of sleep deprivation at work. When it happens and I'm feeling weak, I find that smaller amounts of caffeine will have the same affect as greater doses when I'm well rested. Also, hydration is critical. I find staying topped off on water allows me to recover faster from a period of deprivasion.

[waktasz]

I'm like a super hero. Caffeine does nothing to me. I'm not sure how to exploit this super power for profit yet though.

[Erik S.]

Key is good QUALITY sleep. Don't watch TV in bed, it trains your brain to think that bed=tv, instead of bed=sleep. Try to go to sleep at around the same time each day and wake up around the same time. Alot of people see the weekend coming and know they can sleep in, so they stay up way too late on Friday night, then Saturday morning they can't sleep in because the body is trained to wake up at xx time.

Luckily my job requires me to wake up at 5:30am every morning and I go to sleep around 10:00 pm. I just carry that through the weekend +1hr or so and I'm never tired.

Good mattress and pillows help too. We spend 1/3 of our life there, spend the money!

[Turboprop]

I like to drink a cup on the way to the match and then break out the thermos between stage shoots. I drink about a pot of coffee a day. I would think that anytime you drink more then you normally would it will effect your performance.

[Gruyere]

I think knowing how you handle caffeine is key - I know people who can drink a large black coffee right before bed and sleep like babies. Me, I need a little on match morning to get me started, but no more after about 7AM.

I do know some folks who've dabbled in generous doses of caffeine to simulate stressed shooting, but that's another story...

You got it! I found out that I need the stuff to keep going.

I would shoot one round at our weekly steel match and put up pretty good times for me, but by my second or third round my times were up 20%. I was confused since I thought I should get faster, not slower. Started bringing a cup of coffee and leaving it in the car. Drink it after the first round and my times are more consistent!

[Pelican82]

Caffeine and smoking constrict blood vessels in the eyes which can affect eye sight and tracking.

Apples are like natures caffeine. If you eat an apple it will help jump start you out of sluggishness. I recommend only quality Washington Apples.

Edited February 28, 2011 by Pelican82

[Panic Flinch]

Coffee sharpens my motor skills and makes me more alert, attentive, and I can grasp more information quickly. But...my coffee cup size group at 25 yards (iron sights), quickly turns into a saucer plate. Can't shoot well in the morning...6-8pm is my biorythm peak. Shoot better indoors than out. My .02 Know your body....G

[Wilkenstein]

Coffee sharpens my motor skills and makes me more alert, attentive, and I can grasp more information quickly. But...my coffee cup size group at 25 yards (iron sights), quickly turns into a saucer plate. Can't shoot well in the morning...6-8pm is my biorythm peak. Shoot better indoors than out. My .02 Know your body....G

It's called a circadian rhythm. Pretty interesting and supports your 6-8pm peak assuming you work and sleep relatively normal hours.

[DyNo!]

I admit - I do use performance enhancing drugs to boost my skills in multi-gun.

On the block, they call it "the blue monster."

To get the most out of caffeine, I do not drink it regularly - I only use caffeine during a shooter's meeting after a good night of nothing but water (and beer).

Edited April 5, 2011 by DyNo!

[DyNo!]

My best performances were after a night out clubbing and drinking, almost no sleep and red bull all day while shooting

+1

I don't sleep before a match - I wait.

[Gary J]

Those caffeine drinks and pills are bad on the heart especially older people. I have seen some people with a heart rate of 140-150 while resting. Talk about climbing the walls and jittery. Moderation is the key to anything.