Caffeine Kick

By McKenzie Hyde Certified Sleep Coach

Last Updated On December 7th, 2023
Caffeine Kick

Key Takeaways

  • Caffeine Consumption Patterns: A significant portion of Americans, approximately 79% of the respondents, consume caffeinated beverages on a daily basis. This high prevalence of caffeine intake suggests that coffee is deeply ingrained in American culture, not just as a morning ritual but as a daily necessity. While the initial consumption might provide temporary relief from drowsiness, excessive caffeine intake can lead to various health issues such as headaches, irritability, and disrupted sleep.
  • Caffeine and Work Habits: Certain industries, such as wholesale and retail, hotel and food services, as well as manufacturing and construction, exhibit a higher average daily consumption of caffeine, indicating that these sectors might be more prone to stressful work environments. However, relying excessively on caffeine to combat work-related stress can lead to health consequences, including increased cortisol production and potential weight gain. On the other hand, those working in education and technology consume relatively less caffeine on average.
  • Beverage Preferences and Productivity: The majority of coffee drinkers in various industries prefer hot coffee, although certain sectors show a preference for different types of coffee-based drinks, such as lattes or cappuccinos. Despite caffeine’s ability to enhance productivity and focus, it’s essential to consume it in moderation. Overreliance on caffeine can lead to increased tolerance, potentially undermining its positive effects and disrupting sleep patterns, ultimately affecting overall well-being and productivity.

Americans are serious about their coffee. So much so that millennials are reportedly spending more to stay energized than on their retirement plans. That got us curious about other details related to their coffee consumption. To learn more about people’s caffeinated habits, we polled 1,008 respondents concerning these buzzy beverages.

Save $450 On Any Mattress

Plus free shipping

Get $450 OFF Mattresses

We asked them how often they consumed caffeine, their beverage choices, and even where they worked to determine the most caffeinated industries across the country. Curious what your career says about your caffeine consumption habits? Read on to find out.

Daily Caffeine Intake

Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee every day. Considering there are less than 250 million adults in the country, simple math suggests most people drink more than just their morning cup of joe each day.

As our study found, coffee may not be as much a luxury but a cultural need instead. Seventy-nine percent of respondents consumed caffeinated beverages every day, while the rest drink them now and then.

While the first cup of coffee or tea in the morning might help wake you up, there are other long-term effects of caffeine. Beyond temporary relief from drowsiness or fatigue, excessive caffeine consumption has been linked to headaches, irritability, heartburn, and jitters. Even if you don’t drink caffeine late at night, it might still impact your ability to get a good night’s rest.

Feeling the Buzz

If your job is stressful enough, you may want to think twice before downing that second, third, or even fourth cup of coffee. Studies have shown caffeine consumption increases the body’s production of cortisol, the “stress hormone.” Caffeine can also come with other health consequences such as gaining weight and diabetes.

Americans working in wholesale and retail as well as hotel, food services, and hospitality drank the most caffeine – averaging three and a half cups per day. As customer-facing roles, both industries experience their fair share of frustration. Even though these jobs can be stressful, caffeine might not be the right answer to get you through the day.

They weren’t alone, though. People working in manufacturing, construction, and information services and data processing also reported drinking more than three caffeinated beverages each day. On the opposite side of the caffeine spectrum, people working in education (2.5 cups) and technology (2.3 cups) drank the least on average.

Cause For Consumption

Caffeinated Drink of Choice

For coffee drinkers, there are more than a few ways to order a beverage. What goes into your coffee matters too. Some options, including frozen coffee or Frappuccinos, may have more sugar (and calories) than a full can of soda. Experts suggest mixing too much sugar with caffeine in the morning can actually negate the positive health effects of coffee and tea for most consumers.

In some cases, the way you prefer your brew might actually say something about the jobs you prefer. Despite all the fancy drinks you might consider ordering on your way to work, hot coffee was the most popular caffeinated drink across most industries, including real estate, rental, and leasing, marketing and advertising, and utilities. Americans in the publishing field preferred lattes, while those in telecommunications and science opted for a cappuccino instead. Only people working in legal voted iced coffee above all others.

Costly Habits

A daily caffeine habit can be an expensive vice. Clearly the finance folks have figured out a way to work their costly habit into their monthly budget as they reportedly spend an average of $709 year at coffee shops. Even workers in the last spot on our list, Transportation and Warehousing, spend an average of nearly $150 annually.

Fueling the Hustle

Caffeine marks a pivotal point in the workday for most Americans.

Over 1 in 3 people were only slightly productive before their first cup of caffeine in the morning. After caffeine, however, that response changed significantly. Nearly half of respondents felt moderately productive after consuming caffeine, and nearly 1 in 4 felt highly productive.

Even though drinking caffeine over longer periods can make you less sensitive to its effects, the perception of productivity before and after coffee probably isn’t all in your head. Caffeine will certainly help to make you feel more awake, but that isn’t all it does to help boost productivity. Coffee also stimulates the production of dopamine in the brain and helps reduce inflammation, working as a pain reliever.

Even if caffeine makes you feel better at work, it’s important to temper your consumption as caffeine takes several hours to wear off. You may need to drink more over time to feel these same benefits, which can have a negative impact on your sleep quality and rest cycles. Even if coffee helps pick you up in the morning, not getting enough sleep at night is sure to hinder your productivity eventually.

Read more in How Long Does It Take for Caffeine to Wear Off for Sleep

All Good Things in Moderation

Respondents felt strongly about their caffeinated beverages. With a vast majority drinking caffeine every day, many indicated they felt more productive as a result.

Caffeine intake has its benefits, but its long-term effects can have a negative impact on sleep too. The rest you get at night has tremendous health implications, including overall happiness, creativity, and productivity.

At Amerisleep, we know better sleep means a better tomorrow. Our memory foam mattresses use superior technology in addition to locally made and sustainable design to give you comfort you’ll love. Made from high-performance sleep materials that have been clinically tested to enhance sleep, Amerisleep provides options designed to contour to your body and sleep style. Want to try it out for yourself?

Methodology

We collected responses from 1,008 people using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Forty-six percent of participants were male, and 54 percent were female. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 82, with a mean of 38 and a standard deviation of 11. Participants were excluded if they were clearly not paying attention (e.g., failed attention check question or entered obviously inconsistent data). We weighted the data to the 2017 U.S. census for age, gender, and home state.

Limitations: The data being presented relies on self-reporting. There are many issues with self-reported data. These issues include, but are not limited to: selective memory, telescoping, attribution, and exaggeration. Additionally, no statistical testing was performed, so the claims listed above are based on means alone. As such, this content is purely exploratory and future research should approach this topic in a more rigorous way.

Sources

Fair Use Statement

Feeling the buzz? We’d love to see the results of our study shared on your site for any noncommercial use. No clever tip jars here; make sure to include a link back to this page so that our contributors earn credit for their work too.


About the author

McKenzie Hyde is a Certified Sleep Science Coach and a full-time writer specializing in sleep health and the mattress industry. With a Master of Arts degree in literature and writing from Utah State University, McKenzie combines her passion for writing with her in-depth knowledge of sleep science. Her articles cover a wide range of topics, including best sleep practices for students, the consequences of sleep deprivation, and choosing the right mattress for back pain relief. McKenzie's dedication to delivering accurate and informative content makes her a valuable contributor to the field of sleep health.

View all posts

Discover the ultimate sleep system

Choose your mattress

Shop top-rated mattresses with proven sleep-boosting materials.

Get a pillow

We have the perfect pillow to pair with your mattress.

Browse Pillows

Pick out bedding

Bring out the best in your mattress with our soft and breathable bedding.

Browse Bedding