Are we lying about how long we sleep?

March 13, 2008

Americans may not be the sleep-deprived victims we’re often made out to be, say researchers at the University of Maryland in a new report today.

In sharp contrast with estimates recently given by the National Sleep Foundation, the UMD report says we’re averaging 8 hours, 12 minutes of sleep on workdays (NSF: 6 hours, 40 minutes) and 9 hours, 12 minutes of sleep on weekends (NSF: 7 hours, 25 minutes).

So how do the UMD researchers explain the difference between their findings and those of the NSF? Basically, “everybody lies.”

The NSF sleep poll asks Americans to estimate how much sleep they get. The Maryland analysts used “time-use” data collected by the U.S. Census that accounts for every minute of a person’s day.

“It’s a status symbol,” UMD sociologist John Robinson told The Washington Post. “If you are a good American, you work all hours. It’s virtuous in American society to not get enough sleep.”

It must be a whopping fib: while UMD says Americans total 59 hours of sleep a week in 2005, the NSF poll claims only 48 hours per week. That’s more than one full night’s difference.

JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor

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Posted by Jackie Sauter | Filed Under business, health, university of maryland 

Comments

One Response to “Are we lying about how long we sleep?”

  1. Anonymous on March 14th, 2008 8:37 am

    I believe 100% of this. Everyone is so busy, no one gets any sleep, blah, blah, blah.

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