Other anecdotal reports describe soldiers staying awake for four days in battle, or unmedicated patients with mania going without sleep for three to four days.
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.
Rossi: That's part of their training. They can stay awake for 72 hours and remain completely focused on their target.
As a result, getting proper sleep is a luxury that many service members may not always have. "On average, military personnel sleep approximately six hours" a day, said Dr.
Hell Week: 5 days and nights without sleep
The next part of training is known as Hell Week. In this grueling five-and-a-half day stretch, each candidate sleeps only about four total hours but runs more than 200 miles and does physical training for more than 20 hours per day.
Sleep is a biological need, critical for sustaining the mental abilities needed for success on the battlefield. Soldiers require 7 to 8 hours of good quality sleep every 24-hour period to sustain operational readiness.
The Military's Stance on Sleep. The Office of the Army Surgeon General recommends that soldiers sleep at least seven hours per night, although only a minimum of four hours is required during field training exercises.
Drop your shoulders and hands.
Relax your neck, your traps; feel yourself sinking into the chair or bed. Then start at the top of your right arm, and slowly relax your biceps, forearms, and hands. Repeat on the other side. And don't forget to keep breathing slowly and deeply.
The military method
Relax your legs, thighs, and calves. Clear your mind for 10 seconds by imagining a relaxing scene. If this doesn't work, try saying the words “don't think” over and over for 10 seconds. Within 10 seconds, you should fall asleep!
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.
Getting That Morning Wake-Up Call
In military basic training, there's no such thing as sleeping in. You'll get up at 5 a.m. every single day. Waking up in the morning is an adjustment process that's the same for every single basic training class.
Former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink talked about his napping technique on The Peter Attia Drive podcast back in 2019. He lays down with his feet elevated (so they're above his heart) and sets an alarm for eight minutes (sometimes 10 or 12). And when he wakes up, he says during the episode: “I feel like Superman.
How do Navy SEALs handle 5 days and nights of Hell Week without sleep? Navy SEAL Hell Week is a five-and-a-half day stretch in which candidates sleep only about four total hours, run more than 200 miles and do physical training for more than 20 hours per day.
"Relax your eyes, your cheeks, your jaw and focus on your breathing. Now go down to your neck and your shoulders. "Make sure your shoulders are not tensed up. Drop them as low as you can and keep your arms loose by your side, including your hands and fingers."
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.
Navy SEALs can hold their breath underwater for two to three minutes or more. Breath-holding drills are typically used to condition a swimmer or diver and to build confidence when going through high-surf conditions at night, said Brandon Webb, a former Navy SEAL and best-selling author of the book “Among Heroes.”
Close your mouth and quietly inhale through your nose to a mental count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Exhale through your mouth, making a whoosh sound for a count of eight. Repeat the process three more times for a total of four breath cycles.
On the legitimacy of the 8-minute nap, he says “sleeping with your legs elevated can help improve sleep onset and quality as it allows blood to flow more easily throughout the body. This is the sleep science behind the 8-minute Navy Seal nap, but that's not the only thing that makes this nap potentially effective.”
Most Soldiers report sleeping 6 to 7 hours per night, regardless of duty status. However, nearly 1 in 3 report getting less than 6 hours of sleep on weeknights/duty nights. Soldiers also report getting more sleep on weekend/non-duty nights than on weeknights/duty nights.
So, it is up to leaders and Soldiers to safeguard their hearing by wearing hearing protection. Hearing protection devices include ear muffs, certain helmets and, most commonly, ear plugs, both the foam and preformed plastic types. Some hearing protection has a built-in noise reduction or communication capability.
Hitting the Sack: Lights Out. In all the branches' basic training programs, bedtime is usually 2100, or 9 p.m., except during times of special events, such as night exercises. In basic training, lights out means go to sleep.
According to the US military, it works on 96% of individuals who give it a try, and there are a lot of comments on the original TikTok that claim success with it. Some journalists have also reported sound sleep after giving it a try.
They can lift productivity and mood, lower stress, and improve memory and learning. In fact, brain activity stays high throughout the day with a nap; without one, it declines as the day wears on.
Sometimes life calls and we don't get enough sleep. But five hours of sleep out of a 24-hour day isn't enough, especially in the long term. According to a 2018 study of more than 10,000 people, the body's ability to function declines if sleep isn't in the seven- to eight-hour range.