Psychosomatic predictors of the risk of caffeine use disorder among healthcare professionals in Jordan: A cross-sectional study

In hospitals and clinics around the world, the air often smells faintly of roasted beans. For many healthcare workers, the morning shift begins not with a deep breath, but with a cup of coffee. Caffeine is the most widely used mind-altering substance on the planet, consumed daily by the vast majority of people. It is a tool for staying awake, a social ritual, and a way to push through exhaustion. However, when the need for this substance becomes so strong that it starts to cause physical pain, disrupts sleep, or creates a feeling of being unable to function without it, it moves from a helpful habit into a condition known as caffeine use disorder. This is not just about drinking too much coffee; it is a state where the body and mind become dependent on the stimulant, often leading to a cycle where the substance used to fix fatigue ends up causing more fatigue and distress.

While doctors and nurses have long known that stress and lack of sleep are part of their job, researchers have only recently begun to look closely at how these factors combine with caffeine to create health risks. In Jordan, where coffee is a deeply ingrained part of the culture and healthcare work is notoriously demanding, a team of researchers set out to understand this relationship. They wanted to know if the physical aches, the sleepless nights, and the pressure of the job were driving healthcare workers toward a dangerous dependence on caffeine, or if other factors were at play.

To find the answers, the researchers gathered a group of 212 healthcare professionals from various hospitals across Jordan. These were not just doctors; the group included nurses and other staff who provide direct care to patients. To ensure the results were accurate, the team asked only those who had been working for at least three months and who drank at least one caffeinated beverage. They also excluded anyone taking medications that might change how their bodies processed caffeine, or anyone who had recently suffered a major personal loss, as grief can mimic the physical symptoms they were studying. Between January and May 2025, these workers filled out an online questionnaire. The survey asked them about their sleep, their physical symptoms, how much they felt their job demanded of them, and how often they experienced specific problems related to caffeine, such as needing it to function or feeling unable to cut back.

The results painted a clear picture of a workforce that relies heavily on caffeine, but with a surprising twist regarding what drives that reliance. The study found that nearly 90 percent of the participants drank coffee, with about half having just one cup a day and a significant portion drinking two or three. Most of them believed that coffee was necessary to do their jobs well. When the researchers looked at the risk of caffeine use disorder, they found that most workers fell into a low-to-moderate risk category, but a notable number were at a higher risk. The most striking discovery was that the strongest predictor of this risk was not the number of hours worked or the intensity of the job demands, but rather the presence of somatic symptoms. In plain terms, these are physical complaints like headaches, stomach aches, or muscle pain that have no clear medical cause. The more physical discomfort a worker reported, the higher their risk of developing a disorder related to caffeine use.

Sleep disturbances were also linked to caffeine use, but the connection was weaker than expected. While workers who slept poorly were more likely to drink more caffeine, sleep issues alone did not predict the disorder once other factors were taken into account. The researchers also looked at the different types of job pressure, such as emotional strain or the physical act of lifting patients, and found that none of these specific job demands directly caused a higher risk of caffeine dependence. Instead, the data pointed to a different kind of pressure: the belief that one cannot work effectively without coffee. Those who felt that caffeine was essential for their performance were more likely to be at risk. Interestingly, younger workers and those with less experience were at a higher risk than their older, more seasoned colleagues. This suggests that the early years of a medical career, often filled with unpredictable schedules and high stress, may be a critical time when reliance on caffeine becomes problematic.

The study did not find that the sheer volume of work or the specific type of shift was the main culprit. Instead, it highlighted a cycle where physical discomfort and the belief in caffeine's necessity drive the behavior. The researchers concluded that while caffeine is a common and socially accepted way to cope with the demands of healthcare, it can become a trap for those who are already struggling with physical symptoms or who feel they cannot function without it. The findings suggest that helping healthcare workers might require more than just telling them to drink less coffee. It may involve addressing the physical symptoms they are trying to treat with caffeine and challenging the idea that they are incapable of performing their duties without a stimulant. By understanding that the risk is tied more to how workers feel in their bodies and their minds than to the specific demands of their shifts, hospitals and health organizations can better support their staff in finding healthier ways to manage the intense pressure of saving lives.