By Zoya Gervis // SWNS
NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
Is the workday getting in the way of our sleep? New research found that nearly half of Americans blame work stress on their inability to fall asleep at night.
In a new poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children, 84% said that the transition from remote to office work, or vice versa, disrupted their sleep schedule.
Not only are people adjusting to returning to the office, but they are also getting used to less sleep. Thirty-two percent believe they slept more when they were working from home.
When the weekend rolls around and people get the chance to catch up on some ZZZ’s, 45% turn off their cell phone or put it on silent mode for uninterrupted slumber.
The poll, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Boiron SleepCalm, revealed that a sleepless night often means it’s time to binge a TV show.
Forty-six percent of parents said they catch up on their favorite series when they can’t sleep.
A third of respondents said that not setting their alarm for the next morning ensures a quality night’s sleep, but 36% said they go so far as to lock their bedroom door for a rejuvenating night’s rest.
While 37% of parents reported worrying about their children as being their top sleep deterrent, 36% are too burdened with an extra workload to get a good night’s sleep.
Kids aren’t the only ones longing for summer break. Almost three-quarters (72%) of parents said they get more sleep during the summer than during the school year.
“Between work and school, parents are getting stressed out year-round. It’s important for parents to get good quality sleep so they are able to handle these multiple responsibilities without experiencing burnout,” says Janick Boudazin, president and CEO of Boiron SleepCalm who issued the survey.
When it comes to sleep aids, Americans are fickle. They’ll only give a sleep aid two tries before moving onto something else. And 47% of Americans prefer more “natural” sleep aids with melatonin supplements (40%) and homeopathic medicines (35%) being the two most popular. About 65% believe melatonin, a synthetic hormone, to be natural and yet 56% of those who’ve used it reported next-day grogginess.
Of those who prefer more traditional methods to fall asleep, 35% of respondents turn to both herbal tea or turning on the TV or music.
“These days, parents are coping with occasional sleeplessness by turning to more natural sleep aids like supplements, homeopathic medicines, essential oils, and old-fashioned remedies like herbal teas,” says Boudazin, adding that this is driven by parents “who not only want to sleep through the night but also want to get quality sleep with no aftereffects so they can be productive and alert the next day.”
TOP 5 MOST USED SLEEP AIDS
- Melatonin - 40%
- Homeopathic Medicine - 35%
- Magnesium or Herbal Supplement - 34%
- Essential Oils or Aromatherapy - 33%
- White Noise - 32%
