Americans Not Getting Enough Sleep

(Or, Why Is Everyone Falling Asleep During My Sermon?)

Hi Pastor Friend ... I run across a lot of weary clergy in my travels.  So many of them do not get enough sleep.  (See the report below).  How much do you get on an average? 

Two reports released last month by the Center for Disease Control show that Americans are sleeping less than they did 20 years ago, and that about 50 to 70 million people nationwide suffer from chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders. The research, which was done in 2006 and 2007, also revealed that:

• About 10 percent of adults report not getting enough rest or sleep in any of the previous 30 days.
• Only 29.6 percent of adults said they did get enough rest or sleep every day in the past month.
• About 13 percent of adults aged 18-34 reported insufficient sleep every day in the past month compared to only seven percent of adults 55 and older.

The results of another survey released this week by the National Sleep Foundation found that the average adult gets six hours and 40 minutes of sleep each night and that they estimated they need about seven and a half hours. According to the Foundation, adults need 7-9 hours sleep each night, teens need eight and a half to nine and a half hours, and children, aged 5-12, need 9-11 hours. Also, about one-third of those surveyed said they had fallen asleep or become very sleepy at work in the last month. The average worker gets up at 5:35 a.m., leaves for work at 7:50 a.m., and goes to bed at 10:53 p.m.

The CDC gives the following suggestions for those who are sleep deprived:

1. Stick to a regular sleeping schedule.
2. Sleep in a dark, well ventilated room at a comfortable temperature.
3. Avoid stimulating activities within two hours of bedtime.
4. Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in the evening.
5. Avoid going to bed on a full or empty stomach.
6. See a doctor if you are concerned about chronic sleep problems.

The National Sleep Foundation, which promotes March 3-9 as National Sleep Awareness Week in conjunction with Daylight Saving Time, believes that many factors are contributing to the changing sleep patterns in America. Such concerns as longer work hours, pressure to increase productivity, changing schedules, and overuse of caffeine and other stimulants all play a part in the difficulty Americans are having getting enough sleep.

For more details about the research go to www.cdc.gov/sleep and www.sleepfoundation.org.

Comments

[Scott Couchenour]

Thank you for the highlight. It's information we need to know.

[Rob Stroud]

Factor in those people who unknowingly have sleep apnea (mine was not diagnosed until I was fifty) and we see that for many it’s not merely a workload issue. Though, admittedly, most dedicated clergy do drive themselves harder than they should…