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A new National Sleep Foundation poll has found 64 percent of adults agree that when they are sleepy they are more likely to get impatient or aggravated, such as when waiting in line or driving in traffic. And one in six respondents say they experience daytime sleepiness at least a few days a week.
Those who receive fewer than six hours of sleep also feel more tired, stressed, sad and angry than those who sleep more than eight hours a night.
Because sleep plays such an important role in how we think and feel, ABCNEWS.com asked several sleep experts to answer questions about how to get a good night's sleep.
What are the signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation?
They can vary from one person to another. And in fact, some people are quite significantly impaired by little sleep deprivation, whereas others are quite tolerant to large amounts of sleep deprivation.
Probably the most consistent finding relates to what your sleep needs are on a daily basis. For instance, if people find themselves falling asleep before their normal bedtime, that's a sign that they might be sleep deprived.
If they have difficulty arising in the morning — for instance, they have to activate their snooze alarm — and are continually oversleeping in terms of their designated waking time in the morning, that's also an indicator that they might be sleep deprived.
Finally, if people sleep in on the weekends, which is termed rescue sleep, that's another indicator they might be sleep deprived.
— Dr. Meir Kryger, professor of medicine, University of Manitoba, and director, Sleep Disorders Centre, St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba
What is known about sleep and its effect on mood?
Sleep and mood are affected by the same brain neurotransmitters, so if the
balance is off, both sleep and mood suffer. It is sometimes difficult to
know which comes first, poor sleep or poor mood.
If depression is present, treatment may be successful using antidepressants, which improve both mood and sleep. On the other hand, poor sleepers complain about irritability and malaise. There is some literature to suggest that poor sleep may herald the onset of depression.
— Joyce A. Walsleben, research associate professor and director, Sleep Disorder Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York
How do I know how much sleep I need and what can I do to improve the quality of it?
There is probably an ideal sleep time for each person. It is the amount of sleep time you need to feel wide awake and alert all day. Some people may need nine hours to feel energetic. Some get along fine with six or seven. Most people know how much they need. If you feel you must have coffee in the morning or if you sleep in on weekends, you're probably not getting enough sleep.
Make sleep a priority. If you are not wide awake and alert ask yourself why. You may have the answer. It may be caffeine, excessive exercise at night, alcohol, or some drug you are taking. If you can't figure it out, consider getting medical help. You may have a disorder that needs specific treatment.
— Dr. Meir Kryger
Is falling asleep during the day a sign of insufficient sleep at night? And do you recommend naps in the middle of the day?
If you fall asleep at the wrong time or place, you are too sleepy. You may have insufficient sleep or a sleep disorder (i.e., sleep apnea) or the sleepiness may be caused by a medical problem (i.e., hypothyroidism) or it may be an unwanted effect of a medication (i.e., some antihistamines). If you have severe uncontrollable sleepiness, you should seek medical help.
And regarding naps, yes, a 15- to 30-minute nap can be very refreshing if you are sleep deprived. Some companies and schools now have places where people can take naps.
— Dr. Meir Kryger
Is it important to go to bed every night at the same time?
The single most important thing that anyone can do to improve their sleep quality is to keep a regular time of going to bed and a regular time of awakening. Also, the amount of time in bed must be appropriate. Our body temperature and many biological factors such as our hormones and body chemistry are tied to our time of awakening and the more that we can keep that time constant the more alert and less fatigued we will feel in the daytime.
— Dr. Michael Thorpy, director, Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, Montefiore Medical Center, and associate professor of neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York
What advice do you have for people who work the night shift?
For people who do work the nighttime shift, you'd like to tell them to keep that schedule seven days a week. For every hour of change in your sleep/wake schedule, it takes a young person 24 hours to adjust. That's jet lag. So what you want to do is say, don't try to adjust on the weekend, don't go watch the movies during the day, don't try and do a lot of daytime activities. Continue to sleep during the day, and stay up at night. That's difficult.
— Dr. Mark Dyken, associate professor of neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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