Lack of Sleep Often Leads to Sickness for 1-in-5 Americans

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With World Sleep Day — which was established to celebrate the many benefits of healthy sleep — just days away, new research from Amerisleep's Sleep Science team looks at how Americans' sleep hygiene is impacting their wellness this flu season. The study found that only 38% of Americans report getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night, and 1-in-5 Americans acknowledge that a lack of sleep often leads to them developing an illness.

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While Coronavirus is rightfully commanding the headlines, the flu (or influenza as it's known in medical circles) caused over 647,000 hospitalizations and 61,200 deaths in the U.S. last season. This season, the flu has already caused over 10,000 deaths, including an unprecedented 105 deaths amongst children.

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With sleep widely acknowledged for its preventative and restorative qualities when it comes to illnesses, findings from the Amerisleep 'Flu Season & Sleep' study show that not all demographics are getting the recommended dose of Zzz's. Even more cause for concern, the findings — which resulted from surveying 1,000 individuals (ages 18+) living in the U.S. — illustrates a significant disparity amongst income brackets when it comes to receiving flu vaccines.

"Counting on a restful night's sleep is vital to a person's physical and mental health," said McKenzie Hyde, a Certified Sleep Science Coach and member of Amerisleep's Sleep Science team. "It's concerning to see the disparity in the amount of lower-income families not choosing to receive a flu shot, which raises the importance for people to understand the affordable access they have to the vaccine. Equally important to understand are the added benefits sleep provides when it comes to helping the body fight off and recover from illness."

Other highlights from the report, include:

• Generation Z, which still counts some teenagers among its ranks, was the most likely generation (42%) to get the recommended amount of sleep per night.
• 68% of Americans say that lack of sleep at least sometimes leads to them developing an illness.
• Those that are chronically sleep-deprived (less than 4 hours of sleep per night) were much more likely to say they have already had the flu this season. Only 16% of respondents that averaged more than 4 hours of sleep per night said they've had the flu so far this season, while 31% of those that average less than 4 hours of sleep per night said they've had the flu this season.
• 18% of U.S. adults report that they have had the flu already this flu season, with millennials slightly more likely (22%) than the general population to say they've already had it since November 2019.
• 49% of Americans followed through with their plans to get a flu shot, in line with a survey by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) in September of 2019 that found 52% of American adults planned to get a flu shot this flu season.
• Findings illustrate a wealth divide in fighting the flu. Only 40% of the U.S. population living within households with less than $50,000 in annual income report receiving a flu shot this season, compared to 55% residing in households reporting more than $50,000 income receiving one.

To learn more about all things sleep from a certified sleep expert and experienced sleep professionals, visit the Sleep Science research guide center.

Amerisleep Amerisleep, in business since 2006, retails highly-rated memory foam and hybrid mattresses, adjustable beds and related accessories. The company defines itself by exclusively offering American-made, environmentally-sustainable products at competitive prices. For more information about Amerisleep's mattresses and other offerings, visit Amerisleep.com.

 

SOURCE Amerisleep