The National Sleep Foundation's (NSF's) annual Sleep in America® poll shows Americans feel sleepy three times a week on average, with 62 percent reporting they try to "shake it off " as their primary response.
"I have patients in my office every day who can't understand why they are always so sleepy," said Dr. Paul Doghramji, physician at the Collegeville Family Practice. "It's concerning to see so many sleepy Americans with no plan other than to shake it off."
Those who feel sleepy five to seven days a week report especially high rates of irritability (52 percent), headaches (40 percent) and feeling unwell (34 percent).
Many different factors can cause getting inadequate sleep of less than five or six hours per night, such as being stressed or worried, eating a big meal too close to bedtime, drinking alcohol in the evening or consuming caffeine too late in the afternoon. Other contributors that may be less obvious are:
- Age. People 65 or over may have more trouble sleeping due to natural circadian body-clock changes due to aging, medications or health problems.
- Illness. Common conditions such as depression, anxiety, pain, cancer and Alzheimer's disease can all interfere with sleep. Lung, heart, kidney and urological diseases can also cause sleep disturbances.
- Sleep disorders: Insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome may be responsible for keeping you awake.
- Other causes. Poor sleep habits, such as a lack of a consistent bedtime routine or not going to bed and getting up at the same time daily, can result in a lack of quality sleep. A change in schedule, noise and other disruptions in your sleep environment may also play a role.
The Sleep in America poll found that when people feel sleepy, they report it's because they're not sleeping well enough (55 percent), as opposed to not having enough time to sleep (44 percent). "Not getting the restorative benefits of sleep when you give yourself enough time for sleep could be a sign of other issues and should not be ignored," said Dr. Temitayo Oyegbile-Chidi, pediatric neurologist at Georgetown University Hospital.
The NSF recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night for adults age 18-64 and seven to eight hours for older adults, age 65 and over. Characteristics of a good night's sleep include waking up feeling refreshed, alert and able to be fully productive throughout the waking hours. The NSF's Sleep Health Index® score - based on measures of sleep quality, sleep duration and disordered sleep - is worse among people who report having more sleepy days. In NSF's 2020 Q1 Sleep Health Index, the average person's sleep quality rated 64 on a scale of 0-100 - lower on average than prior indexes.
To get a higher quality and greater amount of sleep, NSF offers these tips:
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends.
- Follow a relaxing bedtime routine, such as listening to calming music, reading a book or taking a warm bath.
- Make sure your bedroom is cool, between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, because body temperature naturally decreases to initiate sleep.
- Make sure your bedroom is quiet. Turn off noisy distractions and consider using "white noise" from a fan, sound machine or app.
- Make sure your bedroom is dark.
- Sleep on a mattress and pillows that are comfortable and supportive.
- Finish eating meals at least two to three hours before bedtime.
- Exercise regularly.
- Limit how many caffeinated products you consume in the afternoon.
- Alcohol and nicotine in your body can disrupt sleep and can cause nighttime waking. For optimal sleep, skip them close to bedtime or altogether.
For more information, visit www.thensf.org or call (703) 243-1697.
