| It's true that the amount of sleep each person needs | | | | aside. |
| is unique and those needs change a whole lot as we | | | | Of course not getting enough sleep leaves most of |
| get older. However, there are some guidelines that | | | | us irritable and feeling drained, as well as burdening us |
| offer recommended sleep hours. | | | | with impaired work performance, lackluster thinking |
| By adulthood we need 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, | | | | skills and questionable judgment. |
| but far too many of us don't get even that. | | | | It's a sad fact that an estimated 15-20% of auto |
| Of course we all realize the sleep is not only | | | | accidents are caused by one of the participants falling |
| important in refreshing our mind, but also essential for | | | | asleep at the wheel. This happens due to a driver |
| physical health as well. | | | | losing the ability to tell when he or she is sleepy, |
| Which is why the latest survey (Sleep in | | | | because we're always tired. |
| America(TM)) from the National Sleep Foundation, a | | | | This is how unsuspecting and otherwise well-meaning |
| non-profit organization of researchers, patients and | | | | operators end up falling asleep behind the wheel, |
| facilities might leave you wondering. | | | | because they just don't recognize how exhausted |
| The annual poll estimates Americans are getting an | | | | they truly are. |
| average 6.7 hours of sleep (down from 7.0 in 2001) | | | | The National Sleep Foundation poll is a telephone |
| on a weekday. | | | | survey of 1,000 people where the respondents are |
| To some that amount of shut eye might sound like | | | | asked to estimate how many hours they sleep. |
| heaven. Long commutes, late workdays, jet lag or | | | | The government also conducts time use surveys, |
| chronic pain, activities and other commitments often | | | | and has since 1985, that ask people to use diaries to |
| keep us from getting the sleep we really need. | | | | give hour-by-hour details of how they spent the |
| Over the last ten years an increasing number of | | | | previous day. |
| Americans are getting under 6 hours of sleep a night, | | | | These surveys involved about 37,000 subjects |
| and the number who get 8 (or more) hours a night is | | | | between 2003 and 2005. Time use information |
| going down too. | | | | gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau |
| In our hyper busy, 24/7, around the clock world, it's | | | | of Labor Statistics has consistently reported that |
| not surprising that we're sleeping about hour and a | | | | American sleep an average 8.6 hours a night. |
| half less than our grandparents did little more than a | | | | Why such a big difference in the sleep numbers? |
| hundred years ago. | | | | The methods used in the two surveys could be to |
| "In the last few years, we've seen the economy | | | | blame. The number of subjects, and the way the |
| take a nose dive, and more people are affected by | | | | data was collected (memory vs. diary entry) can |
| that," said Dr. Raj Kakar, a medical director at the | | | | certainly be factors. |
| Dallas Center for Sleep Disorders. | | | | Also, the time use survey may overestimate sleep |
| "More people are stressed. Stress is associated with | | | | because time in bed is categorized as sleep... whether |
| sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression and | | | | you're sleeping, lying awake or tossing and turning. |
| sleeplessness. The economy is a major factor why | | | | What all the experts seem to agree on is that stress |
| people are losing sleep." | | | | and the demands of work rob us of sleep we need. |
| This supports the survey findings of the American | | | | If you end up cutting sleep, don't plan to do this |
| Psychological Association, which reported in 2008 that | | | | forever. |
| 52% of 7,000 respondents were losing sleep at night | | | | Nearly anyone can improve the quality of their sleep |
| from stress. | | | | by setting up a regular sleeping routine (your body |
| Add to this the ready accessibility of technology like | | | | needs 5-9 hours of sleep every 24 hours). |
| the internet, cell phones, Blackberries and other | | | | Go to bed and get up at the same time, even on |
| devices that make it possible to be connected at all | | | | days off, vacations and holidays. |
| hours, and to do things at any time, anywhere. | | | | Keep your sleeping space restful, quiet and a |
| And then there are the many distractions and forms | | | | comfortable, constant temperature and you've a |
| of entertainment that no generation have had | | | | better chance of coming close to the recommended |
| before. So it is clear why sleep has gotten pushed | | | | sleep hours you need. |