The IAA One Minute Blog

Women in the United States are less likely to get a good night’s sleep and more likely to report daytime sleepiness than men, a new study shows.

Women Come up Short in Sleep Department

The online poll of more than 2,000 U.S. adults found that women are 1.5 times more likely than men to rarely or never wake up feeling well rested, 32 percent versus 21 percent. Also, sleepiness affects the daily activities of 81 percent of women compared with 74 percent of men.

The survey was conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

Other studies have found that the health effects of insufficient sleep are worse for women. Sleeping five hours or less nightly is associated with increased risk of high blood pressure among women, but not men. Women are also more likely to experience daytime sleepiness and report that sleep problems harm their daily functioning.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

According to the AASM, adults should get at least seven hours of sleep at night. They advise:

• Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy: If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed. Do a quiet activity without a lot of light exposure until you feel sleepy.
• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet
• Keep a consistent schedule: Get up at the same time every day, even on the weekends and vacations.
• Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings and turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime
• Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing: Keep it at a comfortable, cool temperature.

Having a lot on your mind can also make it difficult to fall asleep, so it is important to manage your worries. Stress management might help. Start with basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America wants you to get some sleep.  A well rested body means a healthy body, and that is what IAA likes to see!

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