A Look At Soldiers Sleeping In The US Capital Building

National Guard members sleeping at the U.S. Capitol, January 13. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts 

Military Times: A definitive ranking of troops’ extreme napping positions 

Sleep can be hard to come by in the service. 

One of the very first things you learn when you enlist is that you should take any and every napping opportunity possible, despite the location. 

As thousands of National Guard members filter through the halls of the U.S. Capitol, civilians are getting firsthand looks at just how easily soldiers can turn a concrete floor into a comfortable nest. 

If dozing off in uncomfortable places and positions were an Olympic sport, service members take home gold every time. 

That’s why we decided to pull together a definitive ranking of some the best, worst, and downright ridiculous sleeping positions in recent military history, on scale from 1 to 10, in terms of insanity. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: This is where I am always freaking-out my girl friend. I can shut down in a minute and sleep anywhere and in any position. And my sleep is a deep sleep. Of course she thinks I am an alien. :(

Update: A great photo-gallery here .... U.S. Capitol halls lined with sleeping National Guard troops (Reuters).

No Problem For US Navy SEALs When It Comes To Sleep

First Phase Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs candidates use teamwork to perform physical training exercises with a 600 pound log at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Shauntae Hinkle-Lymas.) 

Asia Times: No sleep? No problem, say US Navy SEALs 

Surviving Hell Week — five days of running, swimming, paddling, climbing and plunging into freezing water 

They are, truly, the best of the best in the US military services — the US Navy SEALs.

Often going into places and situations where there is little hope of success, and, their training is amongst the toughest on the planet. 

Yet, even an elite soldier doesn’t do well without sleep. 

Stew Smith, a former Navy SEAL, said he survived for three days on no sleep before the hallucinations started to set in, ABC News reported. 

After about 72 hours of sleep deprivation during training, Smith recalls mistaking an airplane for a flying horse, perceiving a bridge as a giant Pez dispenser, and seeing a squat, muscular body builder where there was in fact a fire hydrant. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: There was a time in my life where I had to work non-stop from Friday morning to Monday evening with little if any sleep. I was OK for the first few weeks. But after that I started to bump into walls.

On the plus side. From that experience I can fall asleep within a minute, at any time of the day, and at any place. The bus/metro/train/plane/passenger in car/friends house/etc.. If I want to zonk out, I will. The girlfriend .... who has trouble sleeping .... is of course super jealous.

US Army Wants Its Soldiers To Practice Strategic Napping

DNYZ: The Army Rolls Out a New Weapon: Strategic Napping 

Turns out Beetle Bailey had it right all along. 

The loafing comic-strip Army private has been sleeping on duty for 70 years, to the frequent fury of his platoon sergeant. But on Wednesday, the Army released new guidelines for optimal soldier performance — and they include strategic and aggressive napping. 

The recommendation is part of an overhaul of the Army’s physical fitness training field manual, which was rebranded this week as the FM 7-22 Holistic Health and Fitness manual. No longer is the guide focused entirely on grueling physical challenges like long ruck marches and pull-ups. Now it has chapters on setting goals, visualizing success, “spiritual readiness” and, yes, the art of the nap. 

“Soldiers can use short, infrequent naps to restore wakefulness and promote performance,” the new manual advises. “When routinely available sleep time is difficult to predict, soldiers might take the longest nap possible as frequently as time is available.” 

Read more .... 

Update: The Army Rolls Out a New Weapon: Strategic Napping (New York Times) 

WNU Editor: I have been practicing strategic and power napping all my adult life. Whenever I am a passenger in a car, bus, train, or plane .... I am napping. And it does make a big difference. Kudos to the US Army to push this. I am also lucky in that I can fall asleep right away. Something that really annoys my GF.

How Soldiers Learn To Sleep Anywhere

Even if it's in broad daylight on a pile of sharp rocks. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ken Scar)

We Are The Mighty: How troops learn to sleep anywhere, any how, any way

Sleep is, apparently, one of those things that medical professionals tend to claim is vital to not dying. While in the military, you'll get so little sleep that your body grows accustomed to functioning at a high level with just four hours of non-continuous sleep.

For one reason or another, putting aside large chunks of time for that vital sleep just doesn't happen. So, troops quickly learn how to rack out at the drop of a dime while smothered in their gear. Or they find a nice, cozy spot underneath a HUMVEE in the glaring Afghan sun with only their rifle and pebbles to keep them comfy.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: There was a time in my life when I was busy 24/7, and yes, I mastered the art of being able to fall asleep in a minute, and being able to sleep anywhere. I still can do it, and the GF who always has trouble falling asleep hates me for it.

How Much Sleep Before A Mission Does A Soldier Need?

We Are The Mighty: This is how much sleep you should be getting before a mission

On deployment, troops are asked to complete some pretty intense missions under hostile conditions. Half of the time, they leave the wire with little-to-no sleep and still have to perform at a high level. Due to our crazy schedules, we are required to be up at the butt-crack of dawn for PT, eat chow, and prepare for the 12-16 hour workday ahead. After all that, we try and get some rest before we have to do it all over again the next day.

That sh*t can burn a troop out in no time.

Since we're dedicated as f*ck, we suck it up and move on. Unfortunately, being sleep deprived increases the risk of some significant health problems, like diabetes, strokes, and even heart attacks. Aside from these major problems, running on too little sleep can cause troops to make dumb mistakes and severely lowers reaction times.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I need 7 hours of sleep .... and a 20 minute siesta an hour or two after lunch to keep me in peek performance. Some more useful information is here .... This Is The U.S. Military's Technique To Fall Asleep In Two Minutes (March 24, 2018)

This Is The U.S. Military's Technique To Fall Asleep In Two Minutes

The Art Of Manliness: How to Fall Asleep in 2 Minutes or Less

Have you ever unexpectedly found yourself with a snatch of time in which to steal a nap? You tried to settle into the chair or nook in which you found yourself, closed your eyes, and then . . . you just sat there, drowsy but awake. Despite feeling quite tired, you couldn’t fall asleep, and soon the time was up before you had gotten in so much as a wink. Talk about frustrating! Not only did you not get to nap, you didn’t do anything else either; if you weren’t going to fall asleep, you could have done something productive instead!

It’s quite a knack to be able to fall asleep at the drop of a hat, regardless of where you are and what’s going on around you. To steal some shuteye at airports and on flights, on break times and car rides, in public places and private spaces — in all the interstices of life. Not to mention how grand it is to be able to go out like a light as soon as your head hits the pillow each night.

It probably seems, however, that this is simply a knack that some folks have and others don’t, with the latter group being much larger than the former.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This technique works. The GF hates thefact that I can fall asleep in less than two minutes .... and literally anywhere. Her .... it takes one hour or more.

Sleep As A Weapon

Army Soldiers catch a few minutes of sleep on board an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III. Overall research findings suggest that inadequate levels of sleep when sustained over time increase the risk of physiological disease, allowing greater susceptibility to illness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Heide Couch)

Sarah DiGiulio, Huffington Post: You Have To Close Your Eyes To See The Military’s Powerful New Weapon

Retired Navy Adm. James Stavridis says sleep is a key strategy.

On a March evening in 2002, the USS Oscar Austin began a nighttime transit through the Skagerrak, a busy shipping lane connecting Norway, Denmark and Sweden, when disaster nearly struck.

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. John Cordle was on the bridge navigating the ship. “It was a very narrow, confusing transit at night,” Cordle told The Huffington Post. Three Navy ships were following.

It had been a long day. Cordle had pulled an all-nighter, working various shifts. That’s when he nearly caused a drowsy driving catastrophe that could have caused several naval vessels to collide.

“I just sort of fell asleep standing up,” he admitted.

Retired Adm. James G. Stavridis says these situations are unacceptable ― and all too common.

“Sleep is a key part of the requirements for resilience and good decision-making,” Stavridis said in an interview.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: We all have had that experience .... falling asleep when we should not have. In my case the closest call that I ever had was when I was driving with 3 friends to Quebec City from Montreal. It was late at night, it was a snowstorm, and we were all very tired. During the drive .... as I told my friends when we finally arrived to Quebec City .... there was a point where all four of us were asleep.

Why Sleep Is A Weapon

Admiral Jim Stavridis (Ret.), Huffington Post: Sleep is A Weapon

The Military Power of Sleep

As we contemplate the need for sleep and all that achieving a balance of sleeping and waking can bring to us, it is clear that there are many important reasons to find the time to descend to what the Greeks call the land of Hypnos an appropriate amount of time. Getting enough sleep makes us better family members, friends, lovers, drivers, writers, cooks and pretty much everything else that is of importance in our lives. It also makes us better warriors — an unfortunately necessary function in order to defend our freedoms, repel terrorist attacks, achieve order in the global commons, and uphold the values we all cherish. In her new book, The Sleep Revolution, Greek-American writer Arianna Huffington correctly points out, “Only by renewing our relationship with sleep can we take back control of our lives.” This is as profoundly true in a military context as it is in a civilian sense.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This is one of my GF's pet peeves with me .... she has trouble sleeping .... I can fall asleep within one minute .... any place and at any time. I blame it on years of work and long hours, and conditioning myself to sleep when I can.

My afternoon siesta also helps. :)