Did we need to take a poll to find out how well America sleeps at night? Probably not, but the results of the poll offer a worrisome picture about our problems getting a good night’s sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation, the poll sponsor, reports  three-quarters of adults say they frequently have a sleep problem, such as waking during the night or snoring. The average adult gets less than the recommended seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. This leads to poorer health, lower productivity on the job, more danger on the roads and a less vibrant sex life. One-fourth admit their sleep problems do have an impact on their daily lives.
Becky Mcerien, 50, in Philadelphia, told a reporter "By 3 to 4 in the afternoon, I'm starting to feel brain-drained and I need that caffeine to pick me back up again,"
But Guillermo Sardina, 55, of Hamilton, N.J., said "I sleep through the night. I'm a sound sleeper. I don't even remember my dreams."  He averages six or seven hours a night.
Darwin McCallian, 51, of Burke, Va., rises at 4 a.m. to get a jump on traffic for his commute to Washington, DC. He usually gets six to eight hours of sleep.
"When I sleep in a little bit longer, it makes me a safer driver," McCallian noted.
Sleep Foundation CEO, Richard Gelula, said the link between sleep and quality of life is strong. It affects professional relationships and takes a serious toll on personal interactions and intimacies:
They recommend avoiding alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime, and that adults pay attention to how much sleep they get as well as the quality of that sleep, and seek help if needed.
Wikipedia article on sleep
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