About 30% Of American Workers Aren't Getting Enough Sleep

Maybe you’re not hurting anyone if you’re slumbering peacefully at your desk in the middle of the workday, but for those who work the night shift in say, hospitals, warehouses or public transportation, getting enough sleep is extra important. A new study says 30% of American workers are sleep deprived, and are getting six or fewer hours of sleep a day.

The report from the Centers for Disease Control (via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) shows that 40.6 million workers are getting less than the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per day.

Those most at risk are anyone working late at night, which includes parents with young children. And if you’re not sleeping enough, you could end up harming yourself or others. To that point — drowsy drivers have been involved in up to 20% of car crashes.

The age group most likely to be sleep deprived is the 30 to 44 range, with 44% of people on the night shift needing more ZZZs compared to 28.8% of daytime workers.

So get to bed, workers of America. No one wants to ride the bus driven by someone who’s falling asleep at the wheel, no siree.

Thirty percent of workers get far too little sleep [Atlanta Journal Constitution]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.