If all you can think about on Friday is your ability to catch up on some much-needed sleep on Saturday, you’re not alone. Americans are sleeping, on average, 20% less than they were a century ago–and insomnia and other sleep disorders disproportionately impact certain groups of people, like women, children, and those suffering from depression. If you’re having a tough time waking up today (or find it hard to hit the sack earlier, even though you know you should), take a look at this infographic from the Canada Drug Center to see who else suffering, and what it means for your health.
According to the data gathered to compile this graphic, women are almost twice as likely to suffer from insomnia as men, and children and teenagers rarely get the sleep required. The topic of sleep in children has been a hot one lately, after the general public realized that no one actually knows how much sleep kids need, and that early mornings at school and late nights spent doing homework might be bad for their health.
But the most sleepless of them all? Those who are suffering from depression. 90% of people who are depressed battle with insomnia–which can compound symptoms like headaches, overwhelming sadness, and feelings of exhaustion and lack of motivation.
Yes, there are a few flaws with this infographic–like that our periods are blamed almost entirely for our sleepless nights, which I’m not sure I can entirely agree with–but it does also offer some good information about the consequences of sleep deprivation and disorders. Like, for example, that exhaustion is the single most common reason for couples to skip or delay sex, or that tiredness can often lead to weight gain.
In an era where busy schedules and mountains of stress make dependency on caffeine and constantly feeling tired are practically the norm, it’s easy to shrug off good advice about better “sleep hygiene”–like turning off or putting away your devices an hour before bed, or reducing consumption of alcohol. But those little changes, difficult as they may seem, may help cut down on sleepless nights…and the need to sleep all day when you finally get the chance.
Link to graphic: http://www.canadadrugcenter.com/images/insomnia.jpg
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