Americans used to boast about how little sleep they got. The Better Sleep Council now has some contradicting results from a survey that shows a shift in attitudes towards sleep.
Mary Helen Rogers is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at International Sleep Products Association (ISPA). She explains that getting enough quality sleep has become a status symbol in America. The Better Sleep Council noticed over the years that people don’t bragging about how little they get, but rather bragging about the amount they get.
A new survey determines whether status symbol is important. This attitude change is not reflected in our sleep habits.The Better Sleep Council has released data from a survey that asked Americans about their sleeping habits. It found some interesting trends. The survey surveyed millions of people and not just a few hundred.
According to the survey, we could all use some bedtime improvements. The survey asked us about our sleep habits and best practices. This included questions such as limiting screen time, falling asleep at the same time every night, and feeling rested.Americans earned an average grade of C-, which is about 70%.
The survey found that men scored slightly higher than women on average. This created headlines such as men are more comfortable in bed and men have bragging rights. Although the survey data showed that men were more well-rested than their female counterparts, it is safe to say that we could all use some improvement.
Women’s sleep latency (inability to fall asleep) was one of the two areas where they underperformed. Their ability to fall asleep (sleep latency) and their ability get up the next morning. These numbers revealed that 34% of women (or 21% of all female participants) have difficulty falling asleep and are unable to stay asleep. Nearly 20 million, or 12 percent, snooze immediately after waking up.We don’t have all the survey results so we cannot compare these numbers to determine how much there is a gender difference.
These data also revealed that men have better sleeping habits. They are more likely to choose to sleep alone (55million men), to follow a strict bedtime (22million men) and to not consume caffeine after noon (35million men). We don’t have all the data so it is difficult to draw conclusions.
This data shows that many Americans are able to do better in bed regardless of gender.
It is a great habit to concentrate on: a bedtime routine and avoiding electronics in the bedroom. This will help improve the results of any Better Sleep Council survey.
