Exhausted Americans Opt for Caffeine Over Sleep

Two black liquids keep America going—oil and coffee. That’s the way one university professor recently described our addiction to caffeine. In fact, you could easily argue that coffee is the engine running the entire world. An estimated 400 billion cups are consumed every year, making it the world’s most popular beverage. Aside from oil, it’s the most valuable commodity there is.

But it’s not the number of coffee drinkers that worries health officials. It’s the dangerous amount of caffeine, particularly in America, that many people now consume. Long gone are the more moderate days of the 1950s—when caffeine consumption meant occasionally enjoying a five-ounce cup of coffee after lunch. Coffee drinkers today put down three times that amount (and three times the caffeine!) with just one “medium”-size coffee at Starbucks.

And these days, a double espresso is hardly the only way to go about getting the caffeine fix. Prescription drugs like Ritalin, 5-Hour Energy shots and other trendy beverages like Red Bull and Full Throttle, even weight-loss supplements—these are all loaded with caffeine. And don’t forget about those supersized buckets of soda at the convenience store. And if 64 ounces of Mountain Dew won’t do it for you, you can now buy the extra-caffeinated version.

Not to be outdone, numerous other companies are introducing all sorts of caffeinated novelties—beer, soap, lip balm; even a caffeine inhaler.

Of course, when consumed in moderation, a hot cup of coffee or tea can encourage sociability, provide a temporary boost in energy and even lift our spirits. But Americans have clearly gone overboard—and our physical health is being severely damaged because of it.

“While every individual has a different tolerance for the drug,” the Washington Times wrote earlier this week, “experts agree that ingesting more than 500 mg a day can result in anxiety, irritability, headaches, sleeplessness, diarrhea and other health problems.”

The Times article also draws an interesting comparison between the skyrocketing rise of caffeine consumption and the corresponding rise of the Internet. “We’re surrounded by round-the-clock entertainment, stimulated at every turn,” the Times wrote. There’s just so much to do—so much opportunity for stimulation. And so we end up sacrificing sleep—the healthiest, most important and longest-lasting energy boost there is—in favor of an unhealthy quick fix.

“No single behavior … more fundamentally influences our effectiveness in waking life than sleep,” wrote the authors of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working. In fact, a growing body of research indicates that sufficient sleep is even more important than diet and exercise when it comes to living healthy, energetic lives.

“Lack of sleep makes us more inefficient at work and more dangerous behind the wheel of a car. It undermines the quality of our lives and makes us more vulnerable to illness,” wrote Charles Leadbeater in Dream On: Sleep in the 24/7 Society.

Of course, the law of moderation applies here too. There is such a thing as too much sleep (Proverbs 6:9; 20:13). But the Bible also talks about the “sweet sleep” of one who labors hard during the day (Ecclesiastes 5:12).

God designed the human body to need sleep and lots of it—about seven or eight hours per day. Yet, on average, Americans get in about 6.5. We sacrifice sleep in order to squeeze more in, to have more fun, to “get more done.” But it’s not working. It’s actually making us less productive. And our health is suffering because of it. We’re becoming increasingly more dependent on caffeine and sugar to get us going. It’s all such a vicious cycle.

What then can you do to break some of these unhealthy habits, to benefit from the recuperative effects of regular sleep and rest and to experience what it really feels like to be awake?

For one thing, if you’re like most Americans, you almost certainly need to go to bed earlier. Set a specific bedtime and then stick to it, even if it feels too early. It may take a while for your internal clock to adjust, but unless you set a specific time, you’ll end up going to bed when you feel like it—or after one more television show. This will rob you of the precious rest time you need in order to be fully alive on the morrow!

Added to this, set a definite time for turning off all media devices—and make it a good while before bedtime. The earlier the better. If you want to watch a program with your family, plan for it—and then turn off the television when the program is over. Leave the computer at the office, if you can. Turn off mobile devices after dinner. Enjoy a family activity, squeeze in a quick workout, pour your heart into Bible study. And then when it’s time for bed, go to bed!

Lastly, cut back on caffeine, sugar and alcohol—particularly late in the day. This will help you sleep longer and more deeply during the night. And there will be a big payoff in the morning! You’ll feel refreshed and ready to go. And you’ll be less inclined to go looking for that quick-fix jolt.

In The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, the authors refer to one successful investment banker who rearranged his daily schedule so that he could squeeze in one more hour of sleep each day. After making it a permanent change, he was simply amazed. “I was more rested, I felt better, I thought more clearly, I got less tired as the day wore on, and I had more energy when I got home. I never would have believed an hour more of sleep could make such a difference” (emphasis added throughout).

There is no substitute for refreshing sleep. As the authors of the above-mentioned book write, “Adequate sleep, we’re convinced, sets the stage for taking more control of every other part of our lives.”

Sufficient sleep is definitely not wasted time. It’s a foundational building block to a more productive, energetic life!

So if you’ve been living out of balance—burning the candle at both ends, overdosing on caffeine and sugar and lacking the energy and vitality needed to really drive yourself in service to God—then take control of your life! Start by giving your mind and body the one, God-ordained energy boost necessary to really live during work, school or play—and that results in a longer, more fulfilling life in the end.

Give your body the natural fuel God intended from the very beginning—sufficient rest and sleep.