America is not getting enough sleep. A recent study shows that 76% of Americans say their daily life has been interrupted by a lack of sleep with more than one in three losing sleep over financial worries. In July, California passed a state law requiring schools to start later, giving teens more time to sleep. Sleep deprivation is associated with injuries, chronic diseases, mental illnesses, lost work productivity and health care costs due to chronic conditions, including obesity and depression.

10 SLEEP TIPS

Go to sleep at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning.
Don’t take naps after 3 p.m. and don’t nap longer than 20 minutes.
Stay away from caffeine and alcohol late in the day.
Avoid nicotine completely.
Get regular exercise, but not within 2-3 hours of bedtime.6
Don’t eat a heavy meal late in the day. A light snack before bedtime is OK.
Make your bedroom comfortable, dark, quiet and not too warm or cold.
Follow a routine to help you relax before sleep (for example, reading or listening to music).
Turn off the TV and other screens at least an hour before bedtime.
Don’t lie in bed awake. If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, do something calming until you feel sleepy, like reading or listening to soft music.

Sources: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Value Penguin survey, 2021 Sleep Advisor, Casper Gallup / The State of Sleep in America 2020, Phillips 2019 and American Cancer Society and Fortune