After 10 Years Studying Sleep, the U.S. Military Just Revealed Something Eye-Opening About Caffeine
You might think if you’re tired, just drink coffee until you wake up. Turns out, it’s a bit more complex than that.
By Bill Murphy Jr.
We’ve seen over and over that there are tremendous health benefits to drinking coffee — even a heck of a lot of coffee — including substantial increases in lifespan.
But if you think American office workers are especially sleep-deprived and powered by caffeine, it turns out we’ve got nothing on the U.S. military.
The CDC says normal humans need eight to nine hours of sleep; about 40 percent of U.S. soldiers get fewer than five. And that’s when they’re stationed at home, sleeping their “normal” amount. It’s even more extreme when they’re in combat.
Their primary self-treatment? Coffee and lots of it — or else, caffeine-laden drinks like soda, diet soda, and energy drinks. (Especially Rip It brand energy drinks.)
All of which explains why the U.S. has spent decades studying sleep deprivation. Now, they’ve pulled it all together in a mathematical formula that can help anyone — military or civilian — figure out the optimal amount of caffeine they…
