WASHINGTON, DC, MARCH 29, 2005 –The sleep habits of America’s adults are as different as night and day….and often those habits have a tremendous impact on one’s night and day, according to a new poll released today by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). In spite of many differences, common attributes emerge from the poll data that provide five distinct profiles of the sleep habits of the adult in America. NSF encourages people to identify the group that best describes them, and answer the question, "What kind of sleeper are you?"

NSF’s 2005 Sleep in America poll found clusters of common characteristics among people who are "good" sleepers and those who are not so good; between people who are more alert and energetic in the morning ("larks") or in the evening ("owls"), those whose sleep-related issues cause problems in their lives, and others whose daily mantra is usually, "I had a good night’s sleep."

More than 40 factors were considered to determine the profiles that were derived from answers to poll questions. These included the number of hours slept, minimum amount of sleep needed, frequency of experiencing a sleep problem/disorder, how often they feel tired/fatigued/not up to par, age, marital status, gender, diagnosed medical conditions, and the amount of caffeinated beverages consumed daily. Most adults fall into one of these five profiles that provide an 'at a glance' understanding of how our sleep and sleep habits impact our lives.

The segment profiles for the 2005 Sleep in America poll finds two groups of "good sleepers" comprising a little less than half of those polled (48%); they are called "Healthy, Lively Larks" and "Sleep Savvy Seniors." Three groups comprising 52% of the population have sleep habits that are not too good; they are "Dragging Duos," "Overworked, Overweight and Over-Caffeinated" and "Sleepless and Missin' the Kissin'." Here is a profile of each group:

* Healthy, Lively Larks (27%)—This group is the least likely to be affected by sleep problems – their own or those of a spouse/partner. A majority (75%) say they usually get a good night’s sleep. They are in good health; two-thirds say they get more sleep than they need, and most never/rarely feel tired/fatigued. The youngest of the groups (average age 44.5 years), most are married/partnered and working full time at regular day shifts. They consider themselves "morning people" ("larks") and are less likely than other groups to have a diagnosed medical condition.

* Sleep Savvy Seniors (21%) – The oldest of the five groups (average age 60), about half are 65 or older. This group gets the most sleep of any cluster, averaging 7.3 hours/night compared to 6.8 overall. A majority of these SSSers (74%) say they get a good night’s sleep on most nights, nearly half (46%) take two or more naps during the week, and most never/rarely feel tired/fatigued (69%). Although many have been diagnosed with at least one medical condition, they do not feel they have a sleep problem, and are less likely than other groups to be at risk for any sleep disorder. People in this group are the most likely to be retired (51%) and least likely to be employed (30%); two-thirds are female.

* Dragging Duos (20%) – More than the other groups, the Dragging Duos are most likely to be partnered (80%) and employed (76 %), working more than 40 hours a week (55%), with 30% doing job-related work within an hour of going to bed. Early risers, they are nearly twice as likely as the other groups to get less sleep than they say they need to function at their best (41% vs. 23%) and more than one-third say they feel tired/fatigued at least three days each week. Most report that their partner has at least one symptom of insomnia (92%). Their partner’s sleep disorders, or their own, have caused some problems in their relationship, and about one-fourth say their intimate relationship has been affected because of sleepiness.

* Overworked, Overweight, and Over-Caffeinated (17%) – These are evening people or "owls" who are employed, have the longest work week (47 hours compared to 42 hours overall) though they are least likely to work regular day shifts. They sleep less than other groups (5.2 hrs/night) but nap more, with two-thirds taking two or more naps each week. They feel they need fewer hours of sleep each night to function at their best (5.2 hours) and nearly half say they get more sleep than they need. Members of this group drink more caffeine than other groups (4.0 cups/cans vs. 2.8 overall). Seven in 10 frequently experience a symptom of insomnia, and a smaller proportion report that they frequently get a good night’s sleep The OOOCs have a higher representation of males, about one-half of the group isn’t partnered, and the same amount would be classified as "obese."

* Sleepless and Missin’ the Kissin’ (15%) – This group has the largest proportion of "owls" (59%) and people who think they have a sleep problem (58%) or a symptom of insomnia (90%); they are the least likely to say they frequently get a good night’s sleep. Nearly half feel they are getting less sleep than they need, and the same number say they usually feel tired/fatigued. They are more likely than other groups to say their (or their partner’s) sleep disorders have caused significant or moderate problems with their relationship (25% vs. 8% overall), and 2 out of 5 say their intimate relationships have been affected because of sleepiness. The majority of SAMTKs have been diagnosed with a medical condition (84%) and they are more likely than other groups to use sleep aids. One-half of this group are employed, and there is a high representation of females.

This is the first time NSF has attempted to group America’s adults based on responses to the annual "Sleep in America" poll. The 2005 Sleep in America poll Summary of Findings can be found on NSF’s newly redesigned Web site, www.sleepfoundation.org, along with other sleep-related information and useful assessment tools.

Methodology

The 2005 Sleep in America poll was conducted for NSF by WB&A Market Research, using a random sample of 1,506 adults at least 18 years of age who were interviewed by telephone between September 20 and November 7, 2004. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 %.

The National Sleep Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting education, sleep related research and advocacy. NSF is based in Washington, DC.