A recent survey (questionnaire) about Americans and sleep reported in the Los Angeles Times found that we don’t get enough sleep. About 85% of Americans say they don’t get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis (normally).
Here are the top reasons why these approximately 1,000 American say they don’t sleep well.
48% – Stress and anxiety (pressure and worry)
47% – Failure (unable) to turn off their thoughts (stop thinking about things)
38% – Pain interferes with (stops from happening) sleep
32% – Too overtired (too tired) to rest
23% – Background noise interferes with sleep
23% – Children or pets interferes with sleep
18% – Breathing problems interferes with sleep
17% – Spouses (husbands or wives) or significant others (boyfriends or girlfriends) interfere with sleep.
Interestingly, women have more trouble getting a good night’s sleep than men, 88% versus 78%. Not surprisingly, low-income (earning little money) adults report more sleep problems than more affluent (wealthy) adults, with stress and anxiety and pain being the most frequent reasons cited (mentioned; given). But regardless of how much money Americans make, we are equally likely to be bothered by children, pets, and our own thoughts.
Based on these results, it seems to me that to get better sleep, we — especially women — should get rid of (remove; don’t have anymore) pets, children, and spouses. That might also help reduce (lower) stress and anxiety.
Do you get enough sleep on a regular basis? What prevents you from catching some z’s (getting some sleep)?
~ Lucy
Photo Credit: Bronze Statue of Eros Sleeping from Wikipedia
Thanks Lucy and Hello everyone,
I do not have sleeping problems, and I can’t see myself in the above list of reasons why people can’t sleep.
In my case, my pet helps me sleeping. That is more true during the winters when it’s cold I find that the warm touch of the cat fur is relaxing.
Moreover, the cat’s purring has kind of a hypnotic effect.
I haven’t read the article yet and maybe this is mentioned there, but to me almost all the issues in the above list are easily curable with the practice of meditation.
Or, at least developing the habit/skill of observing yourself/mind/thoughts.
Thank you.
Dan, Italy
Dan,
dear happy simple man you are a good example to every one of us.
A simple life among Nature, surrounded only with the esential, no wishing to have more.
Spending your free time of hollydays at home, walking, watching Nature, and having your
nice cats as good fellows close to you, gives you relax to sleep so well at night.
Yes, I do think you are a good reference to all of us.
A life like yours has to be healthy and good for the soul dear lucky Dan.
——–
By my side I use to sleep well nearly every day.
Last year when I was in treatment and some month after I slept badly, in fact really
bad. It was because I wasn´t good, some pain, sorrow, too many questions and
so forth.
But that hasn´t been my problem years before or now. Nearly every night I use to
sleep quite well. Not too much hours, usually seven, but good enough as some days
I had a nap too.
So, like Dan, not any of the problems above mentioned by dear Lucy affects me now.
Gatufo use to sleep always between Cuca and me, or close near Cuca, and the Cat
gives us relax and peacefulness.
A good subject Dear Lucy, really good to talk about it.
emiliano
Hi Lucy,
Hi Everybody,
Thanks Lucy for this interesting topic about sleep.
Like in U.S. there was also been surveys whose results have revealed that many people in France have a trouble getting good night’s sleep.
About me I have sometimes difficulties to sleep well. Since I had a child it is more common. I often wake up at several times in the night because my daughter has lost her comforter (teddy bear) on the ground. 🙂
At other times it’s linked to my work, at different periods of year I make more hours than normaly when I have a deadline to finish some projects.
See you soon !
I had that problem once and it was crazy for the next day coming…I couldn’t do anything during the day time.
We went to my friends house which was in rural area! First, I just couldn’t feel as comfortable as home…the pillows, the sheet
They are all not mine so for me it was strange (kind of homesick but not really!) and I had to sleep on the ground, during the night time
I had suffer the snoring from my friend!…but that wasn’t the worst! It was my friends niece! oh, a rising tooth made her sick
She was crying, bombarding her mom whole night long…almost inside house members had stayed awake with her!
Otherwise, I find myself easy to sleep! I don’t have any problems with insomnia, stress, works…just shut my eye’s lid,
breathing deeply 3 or 4 time….relaxing my body, and murmuring in my mind that it’s time to sleep…then, Im gone 😀
I think you should give some standards for what is on a regular basis, Lucy! I’m a little confused here because everybody is different
so we need means to measure ourselves whether or not we are on the regular one!
Best regards.
Wang
Tell me about it Lucy.
Insomnia is a Global complication is not limited to U.S. there are a lot of people on the global scale that are sleep deprived
In fact, Lack of adequate amount of sleep is a growing problem. It is plaguing billions of people.
I ,my self , am one of those victims
I m always restless over bed time ; it is mostly toss and turn for me
I don’t believe in sleeping pills . for one thing , they are addictive. Once , you start taking them you can’t put them down . You can’t stop.
You are sleepless , you can’t sleep a wink. You try everything ,and nothing work. You are frustrated!!! lack
of sleep has made you all groggy and grouchy. The insomnia has reduced and restricted your focus and strength . You feel dozy , disoriented ,and testy. All you want is a good night sleep.” Sleep “is what you have on mind the entire day. It has ruined your otherwise productive life.
All this happening makes you all desperate to find a way out. You wanna put an end to it. You do whatever it takes to get yourself back your childhood sound sleep.
Well , you try sleeping pills as a last resort. Then,bingo you are trapped
You start with small doze. But , after a , the small doze does not do it for you any more so you increase the doze to get the same result ,and before you know ,It is in your system. You can’t sleep a wink unless you throw back a hand full of sleeping pills.
No , thanks , I don’t wanna go down that path again.
I m not gonna touch a sleeping peel with a 10-foot pole.
i choose to suffer.
I found an alternative , though that works perfectly fine. I watch a little TV or do a light reading while in bed that puts me right out
Yes, Sometimes I m overtired. And , I can’t sleep. I m half sleep but my body and brain is wide awake . It feels like they have a mind of their own. Man , it is the worst thing that could happen to You
You are dying for sleep, however , you body , your brain don’t allow it
you wanna experience it
do one experiment
work out before going to sleep.
I dare you. Take the dare and do
It. And you will see
There is no way you can sleep after the strenuous activity. It will be a good three or 4 hours before finally you fall sleep. Man ,it is a killer
Your brain and body is too alert to let you sleep.the damn thing totally messes you up
Eslpod rules
Pete
Going to London next saturday 22nd June
It could be some how incredible, but after more than forty yearas learning English, teaching English too, with the Cambridge
Tittle, at last gatufo is going for the first time to an English country.
LONDON?
NEW YORK?
CALIFORNIA – L.A. SAN FRANCISCO…(that´s was before, in January)
Where to go?, that was the big question some months ago.
It was going to be the first time of putting a foot in a Nation where English is the Official Language. So Gatufo was very nervous,
too much expectetions.
New York, looks so good city to visit, but it is also so big, incredible big and too far away from Madrid.
Having in mind he is going alone, without any other pal, may be the poor was just a little afraid of leaving Europe to go to the EE.UU.
Too many controls to enter the country, have an authorization that here in Europe it is not necessary, and too long from home.
At the end, after two months of thinking, even after of getting the Passport that is not necessary to go to England, Gatufo decided to go to LONDON.
London and Paris, the two second cities he always wanted to visit after New York. Why N.Y., he doesn´t know, too many movies and so
different from Europe´s cities.
Beside every friend who goes to New York said it is a marvellous city to go as a tourist, and I am sure it has to be.
After Madrid, Gatufo´s city were he was born, New York could be the town he knows better, but only in movies, books and TV serials.
It has been the same with London, so many movies and books take place in London that I have the feeling of have been in the city
already, but it has not been so till the moment.
Tomorrow I´ll take a plane from Barajas to Gatwick Airport and everything would be new to Gatufo´s eyes.
He is preparing a lot of things to be in the town for eight days, it is sure that half of the things Gatufo is carryng would be useless.
Going to New York it wasn´t the first idea Gatufo had to travel, No it was not New York despite he like this city so much. First idea he has about
his trip was going to California, Gatufo wanted to be in San Francisco and specially in L.A., where he have three good friends that Gatufo wanted
to visit and said to them “how are you my friends a pleasure to meet you” but it was not possible.
It seems Califonia it is a Big Land, difficult to see if you have not a car and Gatufo hasn´t driving licency. He is a cat, and since the year 1994 he
didn´t drive any more. Beside California was too far to going for the first time after 14 years without traveling and he was afraid of traveling alone.
Yes, alone, his dear Cuca is not going to travel with him because she can´t. She is ill and have not any posibility of doing a trip any more.
Cuca needs care, a person looking after her, and now that Gatufo has Isabel, a nice dear woman who was born in Lima, he could travel a
short period of time because Isabel should be taking care of Cuca at home.
So dear Gatufo could make his trip to London, a city he always wanted to know but not alone. California it is too far and he would need
several days to make such a trip despite Gatufo wanted very much to see his friends in L.A., that´s the city where they live.
Gatufo is not fully happy about his trip because his dear Cuca remains at home. First time they are not together after a lot of time. How
many years fourty?, not, even more.
So now he is not knowing what Gatufo is going to feel without his dear Cuca close to him. Just a mistery he is goint to feel for the first
time. At least he is sure Cuca would be good with their new friend Isabel, who is going to live at home taking the place of him.
That´s all my friends, after ten days he will be here again to tell everybody how Gatufo´s trip to London was and what he feels about the City,
the English he talks and the people who lives over there.
My best.
Well, I hope this night I could sleep despite tomorrow I´m taking the plain from Barajas.
Just in this moment, 17,32 I´m thinking what I are goint to do out home.
After so many years without moving, always staying at home with my dear Cuca, now I am just
a little afraid of going out for eight days.
The cat some how is really odd, it seems he is smeling my depart and poor Gatufo is sad, just
may be angry with me.
Yesterday and today he has not been on my lap for the nap, he is close beside Cuca, two both
sleeping in this moment.
So, it is sure this night I am going to sleep badly.
Thanks very much dear Lucy, I will tell you and all blogers how the trip has been after all.
My best dear. emiliano
Hi there,
Peter,
I felt bad just reading your post. I do not wish that to anybody. That’s terrible!
Emiliano,
Good luck and enjoy your trip to London.
If the weather holds this weekend I’ll be painting the balcony’s railing.
I already scratched out the old paint done the anti rust and first hand of paint. it just needs the second hand.
I like doing that. The only downside of it, is the smell of the paint. After a while it kills you.
thank you guys.
Dear Emiliano
Have a nice trip!
I envy you!
When I read your post, I wish I can buy a ticket to fly from Hong Kong and join your adventure to London.
It has been a long, long time that I have not walked in the street of London. I miss London.
Unlike LA where (Lucy told us) no body walks in the street, there are lots of people walking in the street.
You are such a wise man that London benefit having you to visit her.
Go there tomorrow and come back and tell us the story of London.
We miss you!
Sleep well!
Best wishes
Betty 🙂
Thank you so much, sure when I´ll be walking for the streets of London I´ll be thinking about your words.
I have sleep absolutely well, that´s incredible. So this morning I am prepare to take the plain at 3 p.m.
Yes, I have really good desires of being in London.
My best dear Betty, and to all of you.
emiliano
Dear Lucy,
Let me reveal you the best solution I found to solve sleeping problems. It is simple but REALLY effective. Actually, it is cheap and very useful and I I’ve been testing it for more than 8 years. The solution is… you and Jeff. Listening every night to your podcast I fall asleep learning English. I’m not joking. First I read the the main text and check the words, then with the headphones connected to the iPad, iPod or iPhone I enjoy your talk for 8, 10 or 15 minutes, never needing to get another chapter. Many days I have to start from the middle of your talk in order to listen to it complet.
Really, really useful. Thank you, and congratulations for your job!
Hi Lucy
It is certainly a great topic.
Thank you,
Hi friends,
I just stop to say hello, I am behind my schedules hopefully catch up with you soon.
Have a Nice trip emilliano.
Bye for now,
Parviz
Some time ago, not much,I had sleep problems. But now I feel better because I’m going to begin a job I like and I succeed to relax myself and keep myself busy throughout the day so I don’t have the nap in the afternoon.
To keep mind silent is also important. I had a lot of problem I’m resolving.
Fortunately my relatives have always helped me so now I’m more relaxed.
Bye!
Thanks god, I don’t have this problem. When I put my head on the pillow I forget everything about the day just finished. But it is normal to have a decrease in sleep when you get old. If you are still young, just wait and see.
Aecio from beautiful Brazil.
No pets, no children, no spouse……
Earth is not heaven.