the tired 20's

The news keeps rolling in about young adults and sleep—and none of it is good.

The National Sleep Foundation’s 2000 Sleep in America poll shows that 42% of adults ages 18-29 suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. According to the poll, the sleep deprivation is so severe that it rivals the notoriously sleep-deprived lives of shift workers.

What’s the reason? “Too much to do,” report half the respondents. 52% report sacrificing sleep to “get more done,” while 55% acknowledge frequent late nights watching television and surfing the Internet.

Does sleepiness affect work, or put us at increased risk for injury or death? Yes again—on all three counts. 20% of this age group admit to occasionally or frequently being late for work due to sleepiness, while 60% admit to driving drowsy.

What’s the kicker? One in five young adults admits to having dosed off behind the wheel in the last year alone!

That’s a lot of very tired high achievers, whose drive in the fast lane of life might just turn into a nightmare behind the wheel. The number one advice for this tired age group? Sleep before you drive, even if it’s only a twenty minute “power nap”, and don’t forget to drink (more?) caffeine when you’re on the road, to help keep alert.

If you plan ahead, you’ll “Arrive Alive.”

 

 

For more information on this topic

American Sleep Apnea Association

Help for Snorers

Recommended books on this topic
All I Want Is a Good Night’s Sleep
by Sonia Ancoli-Israel
 
Desperately Seeking Snoozin' : The Insomnia Cure from Awake to Zzzzz
by John Wiedman
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