Americans Don't Get Enough Sleep

The National Sleep Foundation, as part of National Sleep Awareness Week, has put out its 2005 Sleep Awareness Poll. Coinciding with "Insomnia Awareness Day" today, the report finds that most Americans have sleep difficulties. Since experts say the adult human organism needs 7-9 hours of sleep out of every 24, a national average of 6.9 hours suggests a large portion of the population isn't well-rested in the morning. And that causes accidents, lost productivity, damaged relationships and other problems.

The telephone survey contracted 1,506 adults between September 20 and November 7, which means political pollsters were calling as well, and many people may just have hung up. However, the surveyor, WB&A Market Research, says there was a 2.5% margin of error, which is better than a lot of political opinion polls. The National Sleep Foundation is funded by the "sleep products industry, pharmaceutical companies, other corporate sponsors, physicians, clinics and sleep centers" according to CNN. And their address is 1522 K St. NW in Washington -- which is lobbyist territory. In short, this is probably a group with a vested interested in determining that America is over-tired.

However, that doesn't mean the NSF (not to be confused with the National Science Foundation) has a bogus study on its hands. Anecdotal evidence abounds to support the contention that the country needs a nap -- which is a weekly habit of more than half of America's adult population. The NSF data show that a third of adults in America have relationship trouble because of their partner's abnormal sleeping habits. Snoring is a big problem, but odd shifts, insomnia and periods of wakefulness in the night also matter. Yet what is truly interesting are the causes.

Back in the bad old days, TV went off the air a bit after Johnny Carson. The supermarkets closed around 5 or 6 pm. And work didn't start for many until 9 am. Since the type A personality took over America in the 1980s, the nation has developed a 24-hour economy, which requires 24-hour staffing. Commuting time has expanded as people move farther away from their jobs in search of "quality of life." Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com (advertising for which the Kensington Review provides space) did the world no end of good a couple of years ago when he announced he needed eight hours a night.

Still, Starbucks makes money hand over fist, and the lines are very long right before the business day starts (a real war on drugs would prohibit caffeine). Watching Monday Night Football on the East Coast guarantees a late night, and trading stocks from California requires a 4 am start to the day. The siesta is an idea whose time has come. But alas, no. Soon, the clocks move forward for daylight savings time, costing everyone an hour of sleep, and creating the illusion that it isn't time for bed yet. The entire situation is tiring.


© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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