Caffeine vs Sleep

What is one of the first things you think of when you wake up in the morning? If it’s having a cup of coffee, you’re not alone. According to a 2015 Gallup poll, approximately 64% of Americans reported drinking at least one cup per day (Sadd, 2015). Energy drinks, some varieties of sodas and tea also contain caffeine, it’s a hard substance to keep away from when it comes in so many tasty varieties. Roughly 85% of American adults would agree because they consume some form of caffeine on a daily basis (Mitchell, D et al 2014).

Caffeine is the most popular legal psychostimulant in the world (wikipedia) and for good reasons. Its relatively inexpensive, comes in countless varieties, and provides a quick energy boost. Caffeine is great for a pick me up once in a while but if you feel the need to consume it daily in order to function, it may be time to figure out why.

A 2013 Gallup poll shows that 40% of Americans are not getting the recommended amount of sleep each night. “Medical studies have related a lack of sleep to health problems and cognitive impairment. Therefore, experts typically recommend seven to nine hours sleep for adults”. (Jones, 2013).

The poll goes on to say, “Regardless of what the experts recommend and the number of hours of sleep people actually get, 56% of Americans say they get as much sleep as needed, while 43% say they would feel better if they got more sleep. The percentage who say they get sufficient sleep has been in the mid-50% range since 2001, but was much higher in 1990. Gallup did not ask this question in the 1942 poll.”(Jones, 2013).

Forming a nightly routine or creating a sleep schedule (and sticking to it) may help you sleep better so you won’t feel the need to get your caffeine fix every morning.

Resources
Jones, J. (2013, December 19). In U.S., 40% Get Less Than Recommended Amount of Sleep. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from http://www.gallup.com/poll/166553/less-recommended-amount-sleep.aspx

Mitchell, D, Knight C, Hockenberry, J, Teplansky, R, Hartman, T. (2014, January 1). “Beverage caffeine intakes in the U.S.”. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 63: 136–142. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2013.10.042

Saad, L. (2015, July 29). Americans’ Coffee Consumption Is Steady, Few Want to Cut Back. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from http://www.gallup.com/poll/184388/americans-coffee-consumption-steady-few-cut-back.aspx

Caffeine. (2017, September 9). Retrieved September 13, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#cite_ref-11