Most Americans Wake Up Exhausted

Today's blog post is from a blog post by Dr. Michael Breus.

There are few things more frustrating than waking up exhausted. After all, isn’t that the entire point of sleeping — to wake up feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle the day? 

But unfortunately, that isn’t the case for most Americans. A recent study conducted by OnePoll found 65% of Americans say they rarely wake up feeling rested and energized. That’s nearly two out of three people walking around. Yikes.

Are you part of the two-thirds of Americans who wake up exhausted?

There are a few more statistics in the next part of the article. Then it goes on to state:

What’s the driving force behind these results? Sleep deprivation, which occurs when someone doesn’t get enough sleep to feel alert and well-rested. About half of the survey’s respondents said they’re not sleeping enough. 

And that makes sense, considering the survey results closely mirror the common signs of sleep deprivation. If you’re not familiar with sleep deprivation, here are a few common symptoms: 

Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation:

• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Memory lapses
• A hard time learning new concepts or processing information
• Reduced sex drive
• Clumsiness

Here are some facts about sleep deprivation:

First off, multiple studies have shown sleep deprivation leads people to being more accident-prone. That doesn’t mean you’re a little more likely to stub your toe on the coffee table, either. Sleep deprivation increases your risk of serious injuries or death. 

One study, published in the journal Sleep in 2018, found drivers who slept for six hours the previous night were 30% more likely to be responsible for a car crash, compared to people who got 7-9 hours of sleep the night before. For drivers who reported five hours of sleep the night before, the data was even more stark, showing a 90% higher likelihood to be responsible for a crash. And for those running on only four hours of sleep, they’re nearly three times as likely to be responsible for a crash. 

I'm currently getting between six and six-and-a-half hours of sleep. When I was driving to work I was only getting four hours of sleep.

Fatigue is also a prime factor when it comes to injuring yourself at work. Workers who are very sleepy are 70% more likely to injure themselves on the job, according to The National Sleep Foundation. In short: you’re more accident-prone because sleep deprivation diminishes your alertness. 

Sleep deprivation also hurts our body’s ability to fight back against illnesses. That’s because sleep critically fosters T Cell production; T Cells are white blood cells that play a big part in the immune system’s response to viruses. Their activation allows the immune system to attack and destroy virus-carrying cells. But research has shown insufficient sleep curtails T Cell production — and puts us at greater risk of getting sick. With the coronavirus going around, that’s the last thing we need.

Here are 3 tips for getting better sleep:

1. Develop a Consistent Sleep Schedule
2. Limit Blue Light Exposure
3. Avoid Long Naps

Be sure to read the article for more details.

Interesting days

Today - World Rainforest Day, Onion Rings Day, B Kinder Day, Positive Media Day and Chocolate Éclair Day

Tomorrow - Let It Go Day, International Widows Day, Women in Engineering Day, Typewriter Day and Public Service Day

Next Monday - Waffle Iron Day, Camera Day, World Industrial Design Day, Cream Tea Day, International Mud Day, Almond Buttercrunch Day and Please Take My Children To Work Day

July 22 - Hammock Day, Hot Dog Day, Creme Brulee Day, Mango Day and Penuche Fudge Day

Week long celebrations:

Jul 18 - Jul 26: Moth Week