Caffeine versus Ritalin: Part 1

IT jobs can require a large amount of concentration. Combined with 24hr on-call status and late night installs & maintenance, being alert in the morning can be a challenge for the best of us. The most common drug we turn to is caffeine. The number of delivery methods and easy access to it make it my drug of choice to stay balanced. There is evidence that caffeine improves performance and has no dehydrating effect.

Caffeine Content of Food & Drugs can be found at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Jolt cola still tops the soft drinks but a cup of coffee actually has about twice the caffeine.

A few months ago I couldn’t keep from nodding off at my keyboard in the morning. I could be reading contest announcements at the ITKE Community Blog and I would still find my head drooping. So, on my next visit to my psychiatrist I told him what was happening. He gave me a new medication and to my surprise it turned out to be Ritalin. So how does this compare to caffeine? Stay tuned for Part 2 of this stimulating report!

If you enjoyed this post and want to see further insights on People in IT
please subscribe to the RSS Feed using the link below.