The Sleep Study
WB&A Market Research conducted a poll between Septermber 12 and October 28 2006, targeting a random sample of 1003 women ages 18-64, with pregnant and post partum women being oversampled. The margin of error of their results are - 3.1%, with a 95% confidence level. They did this at the behest of the National Sleep Foundation.
Stay At Home Moms sleep poorly
Surprise. Stay-at-Home Moms (the hardest working unpaid people in the U.S.) are the most likely to sleep poorly. 74% of stay at home moms experience symptoms of insomnia, and 59% report not feeling refreshed in the morning. 56% wake frequently during the night. This lack of sleep contributes to an absence of regular leisure activities, including having sex. In the hour prior to going to bed, 71% of Stay-at-Home-Moms are completing household chores and/or doing activities with their children.Part Time Working Moms sleep fairly well
Interestingly, Part-time Working Moms sleep much better, with more than one half reporting being in bed for more than 8 hours per night. They are the women least likely to be told by their doctor that they have a sleep problem. They are also the group of women least likely to say that they are unable to do things because they run out of time or are too tired. I imagine this has a little bit to do with regular non-child related social activity providing a bit of a mental break. That and the fact that part time jobs usually carry small amounts of stress.Full Time Working Moms
Full time married and working moms typically sleep less than 6 hours per night on weekends and are very unlikely to nap. Women in this group feel that they don't have time for sleep, exercise, family and friends, leisure, or sex. These women are also prone to mood disturbances.Working, Single Moms Sleep Least
Working single women again sleep the least - less than six hours per night daily. They consume the most caffeine. While stay-at-home moms spend their last hour prior to bed doing chores or activities with their children, single working moms typically spend the last hour before bed with friends.You will get some sleep when the kids grow up
Working, married women with no children or grown children sleep the best, reporting getting a good night's sleep every night or almost every night. They still typically sleep less than 7 hours an evening.Health Issues
The overall lack of sleep that mom's receive can have health implications. The lack of sleep contributes to overall poor health, both mental and physical. Not enough sleep contributes to a weakened immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to any number of illnesses that would otherwise not be a problem. From a mental health standpoint, it leads to depression. Additionally, most Moms drive drowsy, at least on occasion, and often with children in the car. Drowsy driving is just as unsafe as drunk driving. The National Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 car accidents are the direct result of driver fatigue annually, resulting in 71,000 injuries, 1,550 deaths, and $12.5 Billion in financial losses. These numbers are conservative as there is relatively little tracking of the statistic nationwide.What to do?
Talk to your doctor. Tell them about your sleeping habits and get personal professional advice on how you can sleep better. There are a number of ways that your doctor can help you out, from simple advice to perscription medicine. Here are a few tips, but nothing earth shattering that you probably didn't already know:- Standardize your bedtime routine and maintain a regular sleep schedule
- Excercise with regularity
- Avoid caffeine and nicotine
- Get help with your infant
Discuss Are You Getting Any Sleep?
