New 2008 Sleep Poll Won't Change Anything

How many of you heard news this week about a new study in our sleepless society? It's been all over the media: the National Sleep Foundation just released its 2008 Poll showing just how bad our sleep deprivation is getting.

Americans spend about 9.5 hours a day cranking it out on the job and then an additional 4.5 hours of work at home. No wonder 32 percent of those surveyed say they only get a good night's sleep a few nights per month.

A full sixty-five percent of us report experiencing a sleep problem, such as difficulty falling asleep, waking during the night, and waking feeling unrefreshed at least a few times each week; and nearly half of those people admit to having that sleep problem almost every night.

So, it's also no surprise that this is having a huge impact in our professional and personal lives.

We are falling asleep at work, nodding off ever so slightly while

driving (yikes!), and losing interest in fun, pleasurable activities

like sex. (Hey, if both partners are over-tired, at least there is no

argument.)

This study should not have been too alarming. Anecdotal evidence alone

proves it to be spot on. And the results are very similar to previous

polls taken by the Foundation.

But we're not learning how to prioritize

sleep and do something about it.

I regret that this Poll's impact,

however big or small, it has had on people this week won't last. You'll

read about it, think about it for a second, and then go back to doing

what you've always been doing: too much. You say you're juggling this

and that, but does sleep even get included on that list?

How can we change this? When will we see evidence that people are

claiming back their sleep, as well as their energy, youthful looks, sex

lives, waistlines (yes, sleep does have a huge say in how many spare

tires you carry around), wit, memories, and ability to learn new

things?

Sleep plays an important role in all these things, but clearly

no one is listening to the message. Just like no one is doing much to

lose unhealthy weight and get into shape for the sake of a better, more

fulfilling life.

As a society that prefers productivity over everything

else, we are sadly moving toward being a fat, unfit, tired, and cranky

nation. Will this ultimately affect our economy and global

competitiveness? It wouldn't surprise me. There must be a breaking

point above which "productivity" halts because there's only so much

Starbucks the body can take.

The sad part about all this is that unlike other feats in our lives,

gaining restful sleep--even if you've got insomnia or some other sleep

disorder--is relatively easy to achieve with a few good habits. Good

habits, though, are few and far between these days. And I'm not being a cynic. I'm being a (well-rested) realist.

This article is cross-posted at Dr. Breus's Blog, The Insomnia Blog.