About one in five adults fail to get enough sleep, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which recommends adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well rested.
If you’re not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, you’re likely to experience excessive daytime sleepiness, as well as negative moods, fatigue, forgetfulness, drowsy driving and even workplace injuries. Plus, sleep deprivation is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, obesity and diabetes.
Given the many negatives associated with sleep deprivation, we conducted an informal survey to find out what things individuals are willing to give up for a week in return for a good night’s sleep.
The top four responses were:
- Sweets, including cookies, candies and ice cream
- Pizza
- Alcohol
- Coffee
It’s interesting that people are most willing to give up their favorite foods and drinks, such as alcohol and coffee — beverages known to disrupt sleep. They’re less willing to forgo luxury items or conveniences that make life easier. These include summer vacation, TV, dishwasher, smartphone/tablet and massages.
How long has it been since you had a good night’s sleep? What would you give up in return for a refreshing, restful night?
If you’d like to weigh in by taking the survey, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YP52WR2.