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A new OECD report compares 2006 time use surveys from 18 countries. Results show that people in France report getting the most sleep at about 8.8 hours per day.
The U.S. ranks second, just 12 minutes behind at about 8.6 hours of sleep per day. People in Korea and Japan get the least sleep at about 7.8 hours per day.
Why do the French get more sleep than Americans? One reason may be that they work less.
The report indicates that Americans work an average of 41.3 hours per week. People in France work an average of 37.3 hours per week.
A 2007 study in the journal Sleep analyzed data from previous American Time Use Surveys. Results suggest that work time is the strongest indicator of sleep time.
Tomorrow we’ll take a closer look at the survey data. We’ll see what it does and doesn’t tell us about the sleep of people in the U.S.
The H1N1 flu virus, or “swine flu,” has infected people in 20 countries. This includes people in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. How can you protect yourself from this new virus?
The CDC advises you to get plenty of sleep. This will help your body to maintain a strong immune system.
In January the Sleep Education Blog reported on a study linking sleep and the immune system. Participants were exposed to a “rhinovirus” – the common cold.People who reported sleeping less than seven hours per night were three times more likely to develop a cold. The AASM recommends that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
To keep from getting the flu, the CDC also recommends that you wash your hands often. Keep active, eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
The CDC advises you to stay home from work or school if you develop symptoms of the flu. These include a fever, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue. Stay home for seven days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
If you feel sick you may want to contact your doctor. He or she will determine if flu testing or treatment is needed.
Your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug for you. This type of medicine can make your illness milder and help you feel better faster.
The two antiviral drugs approved by the FDA for treating the H1N1 flu virus are Tamiflu and Relenza. Currently there are no licensed vaccines for the H1N1 flu virus.
The FDA, FTC and Health Canada all report that some Internet sites may sell products with the false claim that they will prevent or cure the H1N1 virus. You should contact your doctor before buying any of these products online.Image by Robert Terrell
A new study shows that going to bed before midnight may be good for your health. You may be less likely to have hardened arteries.
The study involved 251 healthy men. They were all younger than 61 years of age. They had an annual check up to measure their health. They also reported their typical bedtime and sleep duration.
The men were put into three groups based on their self-reported sleep duration: less than six hours, six to seven hours, and seven hours or more. In each of these groups, the men who reported going to bed before midnight had more relaxed arteries.
“We speculate that going to bed late somehow disturbs our habitual, biological sleep patterns,” study author Dr. Yu Misao said in a prepared statement. “We should consider getting our sleep habits as close to what our bodies biologically demand as much as possible.”
Misao noted that “arterial stiffness” is the first sign of hardening of the arteries. Having hardened arteries is also known as “atherosclerosis.”
The NHLBI reports that this form of heart disease occurs when plaque builds up on the inside of the arteries. These blood vessels carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart and other parts of the body.Plaque build-up makes the arteries hard and narrow. This reduces the flow of blood to your organs. A heart attack, stroke or even death can result.
CBS 2 News in Los Angeles reports on REM sleep behavior disorder, or RBD. Note: Parents should be aware that the video on the CBS Web site may not be appropriate for children.
People who have RBD act out vivid dreams and nightmares as they sleep. The dreams tend to be action-packed. The dreamer may punch, kick, jump or get out of bed and run. All of this occurs while he or she is still asleep.Injuries are common. Cuts, bruises or broken bones may occur to the dreamer or to a bedpartner.
"It is violent, moving nightmares,” Dr. Carlos Schenck told CBS. “It is what happens during sleep, and they end up hurting themselves or bed partners."
Schenck and colleague Dr. Mark Mahowald first identified RBD, reporting on it in the journal Sleep in 1986. Sixteen years later they filed a follow-up report.
Schenck also is executive producer of the documentary Sleep Runners. It tells the true stories of people who suffer from RBD and other parasomnias.Contact an AASM-accredited sleep center if you or someone you know acts out dreams during sleep.
The solution to your child’s sleep problems might be a bedtime routine. A new study in the journal Sleep shows that a nightly routine helps young children sleep better.
What was the routine? The first step was for mothers to give their child a bath. The second step was to give a massage to infants or apply lotion to toddlers. The third step was to engage their child in quiet activities. This might involve cuddling or singing a lullaby. Finally the mothers turned out the lights within 30 minutes of the end of the bath.
This simple, nightly routine made a big difference. Children fell asleep faster, and they had fewer and shorter night wakings. Toddlers were less likely to call out to their parents or get out of their crib or bed.
The study involved 405 children between 7 months and 3 years of age. Mothers completed a daily sleep diary that included details of their child’s sleep patterns.
Go to SleepEducation.com to get more details about how this routine helped children sleep – and improved the mood of mothers.
A new OECD report compares 2006 time use surveys from 18 countries. Results show that people in France report getting the most sleep at about 8.8 hours per day.
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