Have you ever wondered how well Americans stack up to recommended sleep guidelines? Or how your sleep patterns compare to the rest of the country?
Thanks to a study conducted by Sleep Number, you can now find out. The company collected data from members of all 50 states including average sleep duration and whether or not people felt like they got enough sleep. The results are a real wake-up call!
How well do Americans Sleep?
According to the study, Americans in general are not getting enough sleep. Although guidelines recommend getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night, Americans are only getting an average of 6.7 hours.
64% of those surveyed admitted to using an electronic device while in bed. Being exposed to artificial or "blue light" interferes with circadian rhythms and can lead to poor sleep--not to mention the other distractions associated with having smart devices in the bedroom.
Shockingly, over half of Americans do not think they are getting enough sleep. This is a really serious issue considering the high cost of sleep deprivation. No wonder the CDC has declared that sleep disorders are a health epidemic!
Snoozing by State: How does your home rank?
The study also includes statistics broken down by state. Idaho, with 7.1 hours of sleep per night, is the best rested state in the U.S., while Georgia, with only 6.09 hours, is the worst-rested.
We at Advanced Sleep, here in Southern California, were wondering how our state stacked up! California, with 6.7 hours of sleep per night, is right in the middle of the pack, the 25th best-rested state. Although Californians' average sleep duration matches the national average, only 44% of Californians think they aren't getting enough sleep, compared to the national average of 54%. Unfortunately, this seems to indicate that Californians don't realize that they're not getting enough sleep or don't prioritize sleeping.
Californians are also much more likely to use electronics in bed (78% compared to the national 64%).
The Take-Away Lesson
Looks like America needs to hit the snooze button! Not only do Americans not get enough sleep, but the majority of people recognize that they should sleep more. It's time to make adequate sleep a priority. The benefits of being fully-rested--including improved concentration, more memory, better mood, less risk of an accident, and overall better health--are sure to be worth the extra time spent in bed. The first step we can take towards prioritizing sleep is keeping our electronic devices out of the bedroom and making the bed a place for dozing, not distractions.
If you have trouble falling asleep once you're in bed, or you spend enough time sleeping but still feel tired and unrefreshed, you could be struggling with a sleep disorder. Click on the link below to learn more about sleep disorders and whether you could be at risk.
