About Sleep
Until the 1950s, most people thought of sleep as a passive, dormant part of our daily lives. We now know that our brains are very active during sleep. Moreover, sleep affects our daily functioning and our physical and mental health in many ways that we are just beginning to understand.
Map of Sleep Insufficiency (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Sleep Deprivation
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Perceived Insufficient Rest or Sleep Among Adults ---United States, 2008 (MMWR, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Sleep Disorders and Unhealthy Sleep Behaviors
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Unhealthy Sleep-Related Behaviors — 12 States, 2009(MMWR, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Sleep Duration and Workers
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Short Sleep Duration Among Workers — United States,2010 (MMWR, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Sleep Duration: Family, Children and Youth
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Sleep Duration and Injury-Related Risk Behaviors Among High School Students —United States, 2007–2013 (MMWR, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Sleep Duration (General Information)
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Average Sleep Times Per Day, by Age and Sex(American Time Use Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
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Perceived Insufficient Rest or Sleep Among Adults ---United States, 2008 (MMWR, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
What Should I Do If I Can't Sleep?
It's important to practice good sleep hygiene, but if your sleep problems persist or if they interfere with how you feel or function during the day, you should seek evaluation and treatment by a physician, preferably one familiar with assessing and treating sleep disorders. Before visiting your physician, keep a diary of your sleep habits for about ten days to discuss at the visit.
Include the following in your sleep diary, when you
- Go to bed.
- Go to sleep.
- Wake up.
- Get out of bed.
- Take naps.
- Exercise.
- Consume alcohol.
- Consume caffeinated beverages.