The adult world should be so lucky. Sleep has become our national nightmare. Sleep experts say as many as half of Americans mismanage sleep to the point that it negatively affects health or safety. Compared with Americans living 100 years ago, we sleep an average of 1.5 fewer hours a night. And those who are chronically sleep-deprived can be completely unaware of the cause of their daytime fatigue.
Sleep problems are especially common among middle-aged and older adults.
Recently, Serta, the company that sells mattresses, did a nationwide survey of the sleep habits of 1,000 adults. Although a pre-bedtime routine is an important component in helping people fall asleep, engaging in stimulating activities such as deep conversations or arguments, stimulating books or television, eating and exercise can keep a person up. When it comes to sleep, exercise plays a sort of Jekyll and Hyde role. Exercise just before bed can making falling asleep difficult. And an intense workout in the afternoon, especially for those who are not fit, also can make falling asleep difficult.