Devin Burke, your coach and guide to a peaceful night’s rest, presents 13 facts about sleep that you may not be aware of.
#1 – Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the United States. There are a lot of different sleep disorders, from sleep apnea to parasomnias, but insomnia is the most common. Because of the exceptional stress and anxiety of Covid 19, this number is increasing steadily.
#2 – Approximately 40 million Americans experience insomnia annually. You are not alone. If you are experiencing insomnia, 40 million other people are experiencing the same thing.
#3 – Hawaii has the highest percentage of adults getting seven or fewer hours of sleep each night. I’m unsure why, and I find this interesting and surprising.
#4 – Women have a lifetime risk of insomnia that is as much as 40% higher than men. I know no studies about why this is, but insomnia may arise from pregnancy.
We know that insomnia can occur during perimenopause and menopause due to changes in hormones which can evolve into chronic insomnia. Also, women are generally more in touch with their emotions than men and more comfortable sharing their health concerns and actually taking action.
#5 – According to the National Sleep Foundation, 35% to 45% of US adults experience sleep problems. Again, you are not alone. Somewhere between one-third and one-half of adults share your dilemma.
#6 – In the hour before bed, 95% of people admit to browsing the web, texting, or watching TV, which we know hampers a peaceful night’s rest because of hyper-arousal from the device’s blue light.
This behavior, habit, is one of the most challenging for people to let go of. Netflix is one of the greatest obstacles to people getting the sleep they need. You need to put down your devices or at least ensure you have blue light-blocking glasses or a filter to prevent blocking your natural melatonin drip.
#7 – Jet Lag is worse when you fly eastward than to the west because our circadian clock is slightly longer than 24 hours. My experience backs this up, and I assume the same is true for you.
#8 – Around 57% of men and 40% of women in the US snore, and I get a lot of people asking for help regarding their bed partner’s snoring. There are many techniques and strategies to address snoring.
If someone you love snores, ensure they are not experiencing sleep apnea. Nasal congestion is also a frequent cause of snoring. There are many reasons that people snore. Mouth taping (there is a specific product for this) is another method to help alleviate snoring.
#9 – In the United States alone, Insufficient Sleep has an approximate economic price tag of over $41 billion annually. That is a lot of money, showing that insufficient rest affects people’s health and has a significant economic impact.
#10 – Caffeine has a half-life of about five hours, meaning it is in your body for about 10 hours, and people often consume caffeine too late in the day. That cup of coffee at noon is still in your system by 10 p.m. Caffeine blocks adenosine which builds up in our bodies, creating sleep pressure which is vital to a healthy sleep pressure system.
Caffeine is a stimulant, a drug, and is probably the most abused drug globally. If you want to improve your sleep quality, limit caffeine, especially later in the day.
#11 – Approximately 80% of people taking prescription sleep medications experience residual effects. There is a time and place for sleep medications, but they are often overprescribed, and side effects can be worse than not sleeping.
As many as 80% of people experience heavy side effects like grogginess and other negative consequences. But you don’t have to rely on sleep medication; numerous methods exist to train your mind and body to restore its natural sleep rhythm.
For instance, that is precisely what we do at Sleep Science Academy.
#12 – Between 2003 and 2014, sales of melatonin increased by 500% to 378 million, indicating how big the issue of sleep is. Interestingly, Europe regulates melatonin requiring a prescription for its purchase because melatonin is a hormone.
Equally interesting is that most supplements’ melatonin dosage is entirely off when tested, and most people use too much. Therefore, I’m not a huge fan of using melatonin unless it is for jet lag.
Again, melatonin is a band-aid and will not solve your sleep problems. There is a considerable uptick in the number of people using it, and it is likely the most used sleep supplement out there.
#13 – Drowsy driving is responsible for more than 6000 fatal car crashes every year in the US. This statistic makes sense, and I think it could be even more. If you are somebody suffering from getting or staying asleep and you drive for a living like Uuber, or outside sales, you should not mess around.
Call in sick and let your employer know you are dealing with insomnia and should not be driving drowsy. Studies show that this condition presents itself similarly to being under the influence.
Your decision-making is hampered, reaction times decrease, and you could fall asleep behind the wheel or be in a haze and crash your vehicle.
Please do not drive drowsy; get the support you need.
Final Thoughts
Insufficient rest and lack of restorative sleep can lead to many troubling situations and is responsible for considerable losses in quality of life, dollars, and productivity, to name a few. Understanding the dangers and the impact of poor sleep can be eye-opening.
If you suffer from any of these issues and want to learn more about gaining a lifetime of peaceful, restorative rest, contact Sleep Science Academy to schedule your complimentary consultation with a professional sleep coach.
Sleep Science Academy’s uniquely empowering and multipronged program can provide the knowledge and tools you need for a lifetime of quality sleep and a better life. You can learn more about our successful methods and Dynamic Sleep Recalibration (DSR) by reading this article.