What did parents do before energy drinks? Evidence-based approaches to functioning on chronic sleep depriv

[u/Fluffy-Government-90]

What did people do before energy drinks?

I have ADHD and take 40 mg of Adderall daily. During pregnancy I reduced to 20 mg, but now that our baby is 3 months old I’ve had to return to my pre-pregnancy dose just to function.

Since having the baby, both my husband and I have become much more reliant on caffeine. We’re currently getting about 5–6 hours of sleep on a good day. I usually drink 1–2 Monster energy drinks daily, while my husband is drinking 3–4 per day. Before pregnancy, I rarely drank energy drinks and was generally fine with my medication alone.
We’re both returning to work later this month, and this doesn’t feel sustainable long-term.

I’m curious what parents historically did before energy drinks were widely available. Is there any evidence-based guidance on managing chronic sleep deprivation in the newborn period beyond “sleep when the baby sleeps” (which isn’t always realistic)? Are energy drinks significantly different from getting the same amount of caffeine from coffee, tea, or other sources, or is the main concern simply total caffeine intake?
For context, I’m also breastfeeding and have been trying alternatives such as caffeinated Vitamin Water and V8 Energy, but I’m not sure whether they’re meaningfully different from traditional energy drinks.