Are you sleep deprived?

The toll of sleep deprivation

Some people insist that they can go on just a few hours of sleep, while others seem to need more than others. But, what are the real facts related to sleep and are we becoming a nation of sleep deprived Americans?

How much sleep is really needed by most adults?
• Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night to feel fully refreshed and able to function at their highest potential
• 2005 Sleep Foundation study showed that Americans are only getting an average of 6.9 hours of sleep which was a drop of 2 hours per night from the 19th century
• We’ve lost one hour of sleep per night over the past 50 years and 15-25 minutes of sleep in the last 9 years.

But some people say they really don’t need that might sleep. What do the studies show?
• University of Pennsylvania study shows that people are out of touch with their own bodies when sleep deprived. Volunteers who sleep less than 6 hours per night for 2 weeks thought they were fine, but testing showed they were cognitively impaired as someone who was awake for 48 hours
• University of Chicago study showed that loss of sleep changes our body and promotes appetite, reduces the feeling of being full, and alters our body’s response to sugar.
• Case Western study showed that shortened sleep was associated with weight gains and children with sleep deprivation are correlated to those with child obesity
• Children with 6-7 hours of sleep were 2 ½ times as likely to be overweight compared to those children who got 8 hours of sleep

So what are some tips related to a better night’s sleep?
• Try to stay on a schedule—go to bed at the same time each night and awake at the same time
• University of Chicago study showed that if you sleep 10 hours for 2 consecutive nights you will return to normal hormone levels
• Keep your room dark at night and keep your room cool or cold for a better night’s sleep
• Slowly acclimate to the night—turn down the lights before bed, and do something calming such as reading to insure a good night’s rest.