U.S. blacks, Hispanics losing more sleep over worries
NEW YORK
Mon Mar 8, 2010 1:24pm EST
Reuters/Shannon Stapleton
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely than whites and Asians to lose sleep over job and money worries, a sleep survey released on Monday found.
The National Sleep Foundation telephone poll of more than 1,000 people from the four ethnic groups also showed that more black Americans are likely to do job related work before bed.
Black Americans have long suffered from higher jobless rates than white Americans, a phenomenon that in recent years spread to Hispanics.
"So many people are suffering because of economic uncertainty," said Martica Hall, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.
"If you find yourself lying awake worrying, write a note to yourself to work on these issues the next day," she said.
Black Americans are also more likely to pray and have sex before going to bed and need the least amount of sleep to function, the survey found.
"The hour before bed is an important time to relax and wind-down before going to sleep," says Thomas Balkin, chairman of the National Sleep Foundation.
"For those who are having problems sleeping, it's a good idea to consider whether your bedtime routines may be too alerting," he said.
Asians report getting the best sleep, having the least amount of sleep problems and the most infrequent use of sleep aids, the poll showed, while whites are more likely to sleep with their pet or partner.
Three quarters of each group associated poor sleep with health problems, while one fifth reported missing events at least one day in the past month because they were too sleepy or had a sleep problem.
One in five from each group said sleepiness had affected their relationships.
Whites and Asians were more likely than blacks and Hispanics to blame a lack of sleep for harming their job performance, hindering their ability to carry out household duties and care for their family.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Patricia Reaney)
April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008