Sleepy Connected Americans
March 7, 2011
The National Sleep Foundation's (NSF) 2011 Sleep in America® poll finds pervasive use of communications technology in the hour before bed. It also finds that a significant number of Americans aren't getting the sleep they say they need and are searching for ways to cope.
Highlights include:
Many Americans report dissatisfaction with their sleep during the week.
The poll found that 43% of Americans between the ages of 13 and 64 say they rarely or never get a good night's sleep on weeknights.
Communications technology use before sleep is pervasive.
Americans report very active technology use in the hour before trying to sleep. Almost everyone surveyed, 95%, uses some type of electronics like a television, computer, video game or cell phone at least a few nights a week within the hour before bed.
Interestingly, cell phones were sometimes a sleep disturbance. About in one in ten (9%)of generation Z'ers (13-18 year olds) say that they are awakened after they go to bed every night or almost every night by a phone call, text message or email.
Baby boomers are less sleepy than generations Y and Z.
Roughly one in five of generation Z'ers (13-18 year olds) and generation Y'ers (19-29 year olds) rate as "sleepy" using a standard clinical assessment tool (included in the poll) compared to about one in ten generation X'ers (30-45 year olds) and baby boomers (46-64 year olds).
Coping with sleepiness through caffeine and naps.
Americans are coping with sleepiness by drinking caffeine and taking regular naps. The average person on a weekday drinks about three 12 ounce caffeinated beverages, with little difference between age groups.
Sleepiness also played a factor in safe driving practices. Half of generation Y'ers (50%) say they drove while drowsy at least once in the past month. More than a third of generation X'ers (40%) and approximately a third of generation Z'ers (30%) and baby boomers (28%) also say so.
Read the complete press release, summary of findings, a profile of respondents, and sleep tips.
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