Feeling sleepy? You're not alone

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Nearly 70 percent of adults in the U.S. report having at least one day of insufficient rest or sleep per month, suggests a new survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For many, poor sleep is the norm. Eleven percent of respondents reported never getting enough rest or sleep, according to the survey published in the CDC's weekly bulletin on illness and death.

To investigate how adults feel about their sleep, Dr. L. R. McKnight-Eily and co-researchers analyzed survey data from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from all 50 states. A total of 403,981 subjects completed the survey.

The new findings are similar to what was reported last year in a study by the CDC, although this earlier study included data from only four states.

So who are the sleepiest people in the US? Presumably, black women from West Virginia.

According to the report, 13 percent of black people reported never getting enough sleep, which is higher than the rates seen in other ethnic groups.

Twelve percent of women reported a perpetual lack of sleep compared with 10 percent of men, the report indicates.

West Virginia had the most sleep-deprived residents at 19 percent, while North Dakota had the least at 7 percent.

The National Sleep Foundation states that adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night to fully recharge their batteries. Strategies proven to improve sleep include keeping a regular sleep schedule, avoiding stimulating activities within 2 hours of bedtime, avoiding caffeine/nicotine/alcohol at nighttime, not going to bed hungry, and sleeping in a dark, quiet, well-ventilated space.

SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, October 30, 2009.