Some say waking up at the crack of dawn is ‘character-building.’

Maybe watching the sunrise each day and going for a run in the frosty morning might make you a more thoughtful, physically fit person, but sleep deprivation doesn’t build character. It doesn’t build much of anything, except for over-exhausted troops with a dependence on coffee.

Fort Carson decided to give its troops an extra hour of sleep every night to test whether more shuteye would improve their performance. After more than a year, this practice proved so successful that it has gotten a thumbs up from the Pentagon.

In a health report, military officials found that Fort Carson soldiers were more medically ready for combat than the average service member. They’re less likely to suffer from physical injury, mental illness, or chronic disease. They also have a much lower obesity rate than other military bases.

The report credits this improvement to the installation’s decision to move physical training from sunrise to the end of the day.

Col. Deydre Teyhen told the Colorado-Springs Gazette that 85 percent of soldiers lack adequate sleep. While the later start times push service members into rush hour traffic alongside irate civilians, the gift of sleeping in will pay huge dividends in the future.

“This is a part of the investment we need to make in those who defend our nation,” she said.

Fort Carson’s health scores were high in all areas, save for tobacco use.