Study finds that Americans only get 10 nights of perfect sleep a month

NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC

The average American only gets 10 nights of perfect sleep in a month, according to new research.

A study of 2,000 Americans examining how people deal with poor sleep found that 67 percent would go to extreme lengths to get a night of good sleep.

It can’t be a surprise seeing as three in five revealed they have frequent trouble falling asleep, even though many admit to making common mistakes that hinder their slumber.

Three in 10 have also been kept up by bumps in the night, thanks to reading or watching something scary.

With everything that can prevent people from catching those z’s, it’s easy to understand why people are on the hunt for supplements that help them fall asleep.

Two in five like to have herbal tea before getting some shut-eye, with men being 38 percent more likely to partake than women.

That wasn’t the only trick men employed in the search of sleep — they were also 47 percent more likely than women to turn on a salt lamp to help unwind before bed.

Just because it’s easy to fall asleep for some, doesn’t mean it can be simple to stay asleep. So, what do people do when they’re up in the middle of the night?

Over a quarter of respondents said they just stare at the ceiling in the hopes of drifting back to sleep, while four in 10 turn on the TV for a show or movie.

Other dead-of-the-night habits included getting a drink of water (34 percent), thinking of past regrets (23 percent) and switching positions in bed (38 percent).

Another common sleep supplement people look to is melatonin, which 67 percent of respondents have taken.

Despite the fact that the majority of people have used the supplement, only 35 percent knew that over-the-counter melatonin was based on one of our internal physiological hormones.

One in five respondents incorrectly thought melatonin came from a plant.

Even still of those who take melatonin, 21 percent take more than 5mg in a dose (8 percent take 9–10mg) — without knowing where it comes from.

A spokesperson from ZzzQuil PURE Zzzs said, “Internal melatonin production levels vary depending on age, but decrease as we get older. Healthy adults make between 100 to 200 picograms per milliliter of melatonin a night, so taking a 10mg dose of melatonin is ingesting over 100x the amount we naturally produce in our body. That’s why we mindfully formulated ZzzQuil PURE Zzzs with an optimal dose of melatonin (1–2mg) for no next day grogginess*.”

Melatonin supplements aren’t the only products where people are overlooking label instructions to see how much is safe to ingest.

Results found that 62 percent of people don’t read the label of a supplement or medication every time before they take a dose.

Nearly four in 10 admit to taking more than the recommended daily dose of a supplement or medication — and half have ingested a tablet on an empty stomach.

A spokesperson from ZzzQuil PURE Zzzs added, “Melatonin is an excellent way to help yourself fall asleep naturally*, but it’s always important to read dosage instructions and consult with your doctor before use.”

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.*

CAN’T SLEEP/MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT HACKS
1. Watch TV/movie                                        43%
2. Switch positions in bed                              38%
3. Read a book                                              36%
4. Scroll social media                                    36%
5. Read online articles                                  34%
6. Get a drink of water                                  34%
7. Play phone games                                    32%
8 .Play video games                                     31%
9. Take a walk outside                                  28%
10. Stare at the ceiling                                  26%
11. Go lay on the couch                                25%
12. Meditate                                                  24%
13. Walk around the home                            24%
14. Think of dream scenarios                        24%
15. Think of past regrets                                23%
16. Listen to a podcast                                   22%
17. Stretch                                                      19%
18. Listen to white noise                                 19%
19. Count sheep                                             16%
20. Do taxes                                                   15%
21. Change pajamas                                      14%

WHAT PEOPLE THINK MELATONIN IS
1. Natural sleep supplement                  57%
2. Physiological horomone                     35%
3. Chemical sleep aid                             33%
4. Plant                                                    22%
5. I don’t know                                         14%

SLEEP HELP HACKS
1. Prescription sleep medication                         42%
2. Herbal tea                                                        40%
3. Blackout curtains                                             37%
4. Meditation                                                        35%
5. New mattress                                                  35%
6. Sleep apps (meditations, sounds, etc.)           31%
7. Essential oils                                                    31%
8. White noise/aromatherapy lotions                    30%
9. Eye mask                                                          28%
10. Face mask                                                      27%
11. Salt lamp                                                         23%
12. Weighted blanket                                            21%
13. Podcasts                                                         20%

PRE-SLEEP MISTAKES
1. Watching TV before/in bed                          51%
2. Using phone or laptop before bed               45%
3. Drinking coffee                                            45%
4. Eating late                                                   45%
5. Read/watch something scary                     32%