Overview
- The National Center for Health Statistics report published Sept. 22 found that 30.5% of adults get under seven hours of sleep per night.
- Habitual short sleep, especially under six hours, raises risks for high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cognitive decline, anxiety, and depression.
- Sleep specialists say keeping the same wake-up time every day prevents 'social jet lag,' and avoiding large weekend sleep shifts helps maintain the body’s circadian rhythm.
- Practical bedroom steps include keeping temperature at about 19–21°C, making the room fully dark, using white noise to mask disruptions, limiting device blue light before bed, and choosing supportive mattresses and ergonomic pillows.
- For quick recovery without disrupting night sleep, experts recommend short naps of about 26 minutes, testing mattresses for 15–20 minutes in store, and prioritizing consistent habits to reduce daytime impairment at work, school, and on the road.