A medical study conducted in Norway reveals that habitual consumption of energy drinks increases the risk of insomnia and sleep-related problems.
The joint research from Bergen and Oslo Universities involved over 53,000 individuals aged 18 to 35. It found that even consuming energy drinks just once a month significantly raises the risk of sleep issues.
According to the study, men who consume energy drinks 2 to 3 times a week face a 35% increased likelihood of delayed sleep and a 52% higher risk of sleeping less than 6 hours. The chance of experiencing waking episodes during sleep also rises by 60%.
Similarly women with a routine of 2 to 3 energy drink servings per week have a 20% increased risk of delayed sleep, a 58% higher risk of sleeping less than 6 hours and a 24% increased risk of night time awakenings.
The research further highlights that individuals who consume energy drinks daily encounter difficulties falling asleep again after waking up halfway through the night.
Moreover the study discovered that individuals who drink energy drinks daily sleep on average half an hour less than those who don’t.
The frequency of energy drink consumption is directly proportional to a decrease in the duration of sleep. Results show that the risk of sleep problems increases with the consumption of energy drinks one to three times a month.
While the researchers acknowledge that this study is observational making it difficult to establish definitive causation, the evidence strongly suggests a negative impact of energy drink consumption on sleep.
The findings of this research were published in the BMJ Open Journal.
