The Department of Defense recommends that when sleep deprivation is required for an operation, soldiers take “tactical naps” of 20 minutes, followed by caffeine. If they're aware of a mission ahead of time, they should bank their sleep by sleeping extra hours beforehand.
In the military, there's no such thing as sleeping in and resting. Between rigorous training schedules and long work hours, many soldiers survive on less than five hours of sleep, and under extreme circumstances some may stay awake for days.
In the United States military, modafinil has been approved for use on certain Air Force missions, and it is being investigated for other uses. As of November 2012, modafinil is the only drug approved by the Air Force as a "go pill" for fatigue management.
Bangin' energy drinks
But in most cases, deployed troops just don't sip a single energy drink — they take it to a whole new level by chugging multiple cans of the all mighty Rip-it. Splashing water on your face works well too — but that's no fun.
If someone is tired, taking "combat naps" is useful. A sleep period as brief as 10 minutes, but no longer than 30 minutes, can be very useful and refreshing. Equally important is to have and establish good sleep habits. People should try to go to sleep the same time every day, including weekends.
The military sleep method involves the following steps: Breathe deeply: Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take slow, deep breaths. Relax your face: Slowly relax all the muscles in your face, starting from your forehead and then moving downward over your cheeks, mouth, and jaw.
If they make it as SEALs, that's just the beginning. For their entire career, they have to go on missions during which they don't get much sleep at all. He said he found consuming caffeine doesn't do much, except drinking coffee or tea helps to keep warm.
They can stay awake for 72 hours and remain completely focused on their target. Mays: How? Hotch: By using a mental exercise called "fantasy integration". A sniper creates a scenarios involving a target that keeps that person at the forefront of their mind.
Navy SEALs go on missions to raid, ambush and assault enemy forces or terrorist cells. These missions include a lot of sleep deprivation. So in training during Hell Week, as it's called, Navy SEAL candidates must stay awake for five days in a row to see if they can handle it.
Set A Strict Bedtime
Bedtime is a quick affair in the military, and sleeping eight hours is a key reason soldiers are able to wake up feeling alert. Setting a strict bedtime can help you ensure you're getting adequate rest. As Brantner explains, any other hacks for feeling awake "are band-aid type solutions.
Take a Power Nap
Another way to combat sleepiness while pulling an all-nighter is to take a short nap, also known as a power nap. Ideally, the nap should be 15 to 20 minutes long—long enough to improve alertness but not long enough for a person to enter into deep sleep, which can lead to grogginess.
After an all-nighter, you'll likely face a morning slump. If possible, you should try to take a quick 10- to 20-minute power nap to give yourself an energy boost for the day ahead.
He says, “thanks to foot elevation simultaneously performed with a relaxed back, your blood flows smoother within the body which triggers sleep faster than usual. This body position redistributes the blood on your feet to other parts of the body, promoting better relaxation and physical comfort.”
How to do the military sleep method? It's similar to a body scan, where you systematically relax and shut down your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. First, relax your face – Start with your forehead, then your eyes, your cheeks and your jaw, while focusing on your breathing.
In December 1963/January 1964, 17-year-old Gardner stayed awake for 11 days and 24 minutes (264.4 hours), breaking the previous record of 260 hours held by Tom Rounds. Gardner's record attempt was attended by Stanford sleep researcher Dr. William C.
Here's how to do it: Relax the muscles in your face, including tongue, jaw and the muscles around the eyes. Drop your shoulders as far down as they'll go, followed by your upper and lower arm, one side at a time. Breathe out, relaxing your chest followed by your legs, starting from the thighs and working down.
"On average, military personnel sleep approximately six hours" a day, said Dr. Tom Balkin, a senior scientist at the CMPN's Behavioral Biology Branch. An average of six hours of sleep isn't enough – at least seven hours is recommended, Williams said. Running short on sleep could lead to poor health or poor performance.
This applies to both soldiers and police snipers. Snipers have to eat, sleep and yes void their bowels. When they need this to happen, they give their spotter a heads up, to swap on the rifle. That's when the sniper does what he needs to do.
The Bottom Line on the Navy SEAL Power Nap
A power nap (the Navy SEAL version with your legs elevated, or a more typical lying-down-flat version) can definitely be beneficial if you find yourself drowsy during the day, but don't use it as a substitute for getting the nighttime sleep you need on a regular basis.
How much does a Navy Seal make? As of Jun 10, 2023, the average annual pay for a Navy Seal in the United States is $43,685 a year.
The results show that elephant seals take short naps while diving deep below the ocean's surface. Furthermore, wild seals average just 2 hours of sleep per day when at sea – rivalling the record for the least sleep among all mammals, currently held by African elephants.
“Get on the floor and put your feet up on the bed or on something high like a couch, anything. “Set a timer for eight minutes and have the best nap of your life. It's a Navy SEAL trick and it works. “I do it whenever I can, I swear it works amazing.”
Sleep deprivation can negatively impact a soldier's ability to assess the threat level in a situation, coordinate with their squad, and engage optimally in combat activity. They may experience lapses in memory or attention, cause an accident, or get injured.
By contrast, members of the Air Force report significantly higher rates of sleep compared with other military branches. There may be cultural and operational explanations for these sleep differences across branches – and leadership may even play a role in whether service members obtain sufficient sleep.