National Sleep Awareness Week

What could be cozier than sleeping in a bathrobe? It's National Sleep Awareness Week 2009 - Get some ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz!

According to the National Sleep Association the standard 8-hour business day is no longer the norm in America. NSF’s 2008 Sleep in America poll reports the average American’s work day is now 9 hours and 28 minutes. The average time spent in bed is 6 hours and 55 minutes - with 6 hours and 40 minutes spent actually sleeping. NSF recommends getting at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

NSF’s 2008 Sleep in America poll found that American employers are waking up to the benefits of napping! A surprising 34 percent of respondents reported their employer allows them to nap during breaks and 16 percent provide a place to do so. And, more than a quarter (26%) of American workers said that they would catch some Zzzs during the workday if their employer permitted it.

NSF’s 2008 Sleep in America poll indicates that the lines between work and home life are blurred. More than half of Americans (58%) are bringing work home to complete at night. In fact, 20 percent spend more than ten hours a week doing job-related activities at home.

NSF’s 2008 Sleep in America poll compared those who work 30-39 hours a week with those who work more than 50 hours a week to see how well they were performing on the job. The results show that those working more than 50 hours a week had greater performance problems across the board addressing issues with impatience, concentration and productivity.