RICHMOND, Va., March 26 (UPI) -- More than a one-third of U.S. adults tell researchers the quality of their sleep is worse than it was five years ago.
Forty-one percent of those surveyed said it takes at least 20 minutes to fall asleep, and 8 percent said it takes them more than an hour, a survey for Carpenter Co. of Richmond, Va., found.
"These are compelling numbers. As many as 70 million to 80 million Americans are not getting the sleep they need," said Dr. Michael Breus, WebMD's sleep expert. "Not getting an adequate or a good night's sleep can negatively impact so many other things in our lives."
Twenty-nine percent of women said they preferred a good night's sleep to finding $50 in a coat pocket, while 20 percent preferred "romance." Thirty-three percent of the men said they preferred romance, but getting a good night's sleep came in a close second with 27 percent.
To get a better nights' sleep, Breus suggests not working or using a laptop computer in bed, getting the proper pillow and avoiding sleeping with animals because of allergen exposure or fleas.
