05:37 PM, March 7th 2007
by Moni Constantinescu
The National Sleep Foundation has found that 60% of American women get insufficient sleep and thus suffer serious consequences.
As many as 60 per cent of American women seldom get a good night’s sleep while 67 per cent say they frequently have a sleep problem. The lack of sleep affects them in more ways than one, as stress levels rise, sex sounds exhausting and their schedule leaves little time for friends.
According to the survey released on Tuesday and titled Sleep in America, women are more likely to experience sleep problems than men. Some 1,003 women between the ages of 18-64 participated in the NFS poll.
72 % of working mothers and 68 % of single working women are more likely to experience symptoms of sleep problems like insomnia. The situation is more severe for stay-at-home mothers, that complain of ineffective sleep and of frequently waking up to comfort their baby or child.
As many as eighty percent of women reported that they continue their activities even if they feel sleepy during the day. 65% will probably use caffeinated beverages - 37% of all women consume three or more caffeinated beverages per day.
Bedtime comes no earlier, as 87% say they watch television, 60% do household chores, 37% spend time with children, 36% do activities with other family, 36% are on the Internet and 21% do work related to their job at least a few nights a week.
Psychological effects? Over-worrying (80%), being stressed, being anxious (79%). 55% of the female participants reported feeling unhappy, sad or depressed in the past month, while 36% reported that they recently felt hopeless about the future.
“Women of all ages are burning the candle at both ends and as a result they are sleepless and stressed out,” said Richard L. Gelula, NSF’s chief executive officer.
While most of the women will sacrifice sleep, exercise, time spent with family and friends, eating healthy and sexual activities with their partner, if pressed for time, they would not give less time to their work…
Women tend to compromise the most important aspects of good health — diet, exercise and sleep - when trying to juggle the day’s ongoing responsibilities. Foregoing healthy lifestyle habits in favor of more time during the day is not the solution. In fact, it can be detrimental to optimum health and performance.” said Kathryn Lee, Ph.D, a member of the NSF poll task force.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends avoiding caffeine in drinks and any alcohol a few hours before bedtime to improve sleep and finishing any exercise or workouts at least three hours before going to sleep.
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