Now I lay me down to sleep…
(Mirror Daily, United States) – Continuing their series of beginning of the year nation-wide studies, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention provides yet another completely expected research. This time focusing on sleep, the report shows that single mothers are the most sleep deprived Americans.
Another national survey was conducted by the CDC, this time in their attempts to figure out which social category would best benefit from sleep related assistance.
According to the report, single parents of children under the age of 18, and especially single mothers are the most prevalent group suffering from sleep deprivation.
The federal hired researchers looked at a huge sample of American citizens, and concluded that a whopping 44% of all single mothers report sleeping way less than the recommended 7 hours a night.
Meanwhile, the same study showed that single fathers follow close behind, taking second place on the list with 38% of them sleeping less than the 7 recommended hours.
Not only do single parents report the insufficient amount of rested hours, but they also show a very high propensity towards not being able to fall asleep, and to have insomnia.
So, according to the same study, the CDC reports that 24% of single mothers and 17% of single fathers claim to have difficulties falling asleep four times a week or more, while parents living together also report difficulties, but on a smaller scale, with 10% of mothers and 14% of fathers.
Confirming the link between having children and adult sleep deprivation, even 33% of couples with children under the age of 18 reported not getting the much needed and highly recommended 7 hours of sleep.
Sleep deprivation is tied so closely to a decrease in health and happiness levels, that not only is it linked to a number of chronic diseases, but also to a higher risk of premature death.
Some of the health issues associated with lack of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation, include but are not limited to depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and even some types of cancer.
The highly serious issue that is sleep deprivation has been having an increasingly negative impact on American citizens, as it became associated with more and more health risks.
Barring the direct health consequences of sleep deprivation mentioned, above, the condition is also tied to other compounding health hazards, like an increased difficulty in completing day to day tasks, a decreased attention span, as well as the risk of nodding off and causing a serious accident.
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