I do drink coffee every day, but I haven't found Caffeine to increase my overall amount of wakefulness. It just gives me a bit more control over it. I actually

I do drink coffee every day, but I haven't found Caffeine to increase my overall amount of wakefulness. It just gives me a bit more control over it. I actually analogize caffeine to a high interest loan. I think a lot of hackers consume it the way I do. Start out with moderate amounts, then increase the intake week by week for a while, then cut way back (sometimes with some withdrawal symptoms) then repeat. When used this way, I think it's fairly appealing because you're essentially spending future alertness as you go, making for longer stretches or better focus, but then after a while you have to catch up, sleep extra, and re-calibrate to low/no caffeine or else you may end up with stomach irritation, jitters, insomnia, etc. I'm not sure whether it impairs high level cognitive functioning. It does help me focus better, and I have found that my most focused state is not always my most creative, but I always assumed that's unique to me.