LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Adults in Indiana and Kentucky are more sleep-deprived than average, according to a new study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventiom (CDC).
The study found that more than 33% of adults report having short sleep duration, which is identified by the CDC as less than seven hours per night. The study identified disparities across many sociodemographic characteristics, including age, income, race and more. The counties with the shortest sleep durations were clustered in the southeast and along the Appalachian Mountains, the CDC said.
A sleep medicine specialist with Baptist Health Louisville said a lack of sleep can have many detrimental effects.
"If you don't get enough sleep, it does affect your health," said Dr. Kenneth Anderson, a sleep specialist at Baptist Health. "We know studies have shown that night-shift workers have more health effects because they get a lack of sleep. So sleep is very important, and people need to pay attention to how they're sleeping and how much they are sleeping."
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends these six tips to improve your quality of sleep:
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
- Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
- Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings and turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.
- Avoid consuming caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bedtime.
- If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed. Do a quiet activity without a lot of light exposure until you feel sleepy.
To read the full study and see the best and worst areas for sleep duration, click here.
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