Too many of us need a wake-up call

Q: My job is wearing me out, and sometimes I doze off in the afternoon. Part of it is job boredom, but I'm also more tired because of the pressures and hassles. I certainly can't take naps in the afternoon. Any suggestions?


A: You're not alone. The National Sleep Foundation's (NSF) 2005 Sleep in America poll found that 70 percent of American adults don't get the recommended eight hours of sleep needed for good health, safety and optimum performance. In fact, 40 percent reported sleeping less than seven hours each week night.

A world that "never goes to sleep" offers many diverse activities -- even the possibility of working 24/7-- but encourages unhealthy and sometimes antisocial lifestyles. Instead of working to live, they are living to work, a shift that has had a profound impact on their personal lives. Adults report spending less time sleeping, engaging in social and leisure activities, and having less sex than they did just five years ago. Most Americans say they suffer from sleep problems and when they go to sleep, many sleep alone -- even if they are married.

Read more after your nap...