Did you know that “energy drinks” can negatively impact your sleep? As a result of poor sleep, your memory and other cognitive skills can be impaired. They go by various brand names like “Monster Energy Drink” or “5-Hour Energy Drink” and have become a popular form of caffeine consumption among young and old alike. Some energy drinks contain the caffeine equivalent of a large cup of coffee or 3 cans of caffeinated soda. Some energy drinks contain other ingredients intended to boost physical energy or mental alertness (herbal substances, amino acids, sugars, and sugar derivatives); however, caffeine is the main active ingredient.
According to Dr. Nancy J. Wesensten, Ph.D., with the Center for Military Psychiatry and Neurosciences Research, “There is no secret ingredient in these energy drinks. Caffeine is the main active ingredient in all of them. Many of us use caffeine every day to improve alertness – so it should come as no surprise that energy drinks can impair sleep.”
As part of Joint Mental Health Advisory Team 7 (J-MHAT 7) surveys collected during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2010, research team members at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) also analyzed energy drink use, sleep problems, and sleepiness. Their results showed that 44.8% of deployed service members reported consuming at least one energy drink daily; 13.9% reported drinking three or more a day.
Approximately 6% of adolescent and young adult males in U.S. civilian and military populations consume energy drinks daily. These products are not regulated and can have negative side effects (e.g., jitteriness, nausea) although serious side effects (e.g., caffeine intoxication) are generally rare. Because excess consumption can increase sleep problems, paradoxically these energy drinks can also increase daytime sleepiness and impair performance.
Dr. Wesensten added, “Decades of research on caffeine indicate that if used properly, caffeine is effective. However, because caffeine impairs sleep, individuals should stop all caffeine consumption at least 6 hours prior to scheduled sleep. Otherwise, sleep could be impaired without the person even being aware of it.”
The J-MHAT 7 results also indicated that Soldiers who reported drinking three or more energy drinks a day were significantly more likely to report sleeping ≤4 hours a night on average than those consuming two drinks or fewer. Those who reported drinking three or more drinks a day also were more likely to report sleep disruption related to stress and illness and were more likely to report falling asleep during briefings or while on guard duty.
The effort to raise situational awareness of the adverse effects of excessive energy drink consumption on sleep and mission performance is critical so that Soldiers can make informed decisions on their use.