Could you use a good night’s sleep? You are not alone.
We Americans tend to spend about a third of our lives in bed, but 164 million of us struggle to get to sleep. That’s right, more than two-thirds of us fail to get some serious shut-eye at least once per week.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 36.5% of U.S. workers receive less than seven hours of sleep. We do seem to be searching for solutions. In fact, Consumer Reports shares that 41% of people use over-the-counter sleep aids several times a week.
Meanwhile, according to the Sleep Foundation, only 1 in 10 Americans consider sleep to be their top priority over fitness, work, hobbies and social life.
That’s a lot of statistics — and not much sleep. If only the fix was easy. Far from it. More than 70 types of sleep disorders exist with the most common ones being insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, movement syndromes and narcolepsy.
Did you know that humans are the only mammals that delay sleep? When other mammals are tired, they sleep. It works for my dog. Not so much for me. In my younger years, I truly enjoyed a Sunday afternoon nap while watching the Vikings lose another close one on TV. Not anymore. Any sleeping after the noon whistle means this guy is up into the wee hours of the morning.
But what about this snoring thing? My wife tells me it’s a problem. Once again, I am not alone. In fact, nearly half (48%) of Americans ADMIT that they snore, according to the American Sleep Association. Jolene has a two-part solution: a not-so-gentle poke and some clear advice to “roll over.” My dog gets a treat for rolling over. I get a bruise.
Admittedly, the fetal position does seem to subdue snoring. This may be why it is the most popular sleeping position with 41% of adults choosing to do so, compared to sleeping on the side (28%), lying on the back (8%), and lying on the stomach (7%), at least according to Sleep.org.
If you want to sleep better (and who doesn’t), cool down your bedroom, get on a regular sleep schedule, turn off the electronics, avoid caffeine and read something that makes you relax. Sweet dreams.
Have a magnificent Monday, and, as always, thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
