W E L L- B E I N G
Sleepless in America Modern technology and the COVID-19 pandemic are leaving more people vulnerable to sleep deprivation By Jackson Elliott
T
he bright lights and work demands of modern life create a hidden sleep crisis that affects Americans in countless ways,
26 I N S I G H T February 18–24, 2022
Singh said. “It’s a biological necessity.” But sleep is boring, Singh said. Screens are entertaining. Consistently, Americans have chosen them instead. “When you’re hungry, what do you look for? Food. When you’re thirsty, what do you look for? A glass of water. When you’re sleepy, what do you look for? The ‘next episode’ button,” Singh said. The average American now gets 6 1/2 hours of sleep per night, he said. This habit strains the body and can cause countless other health issues. Lost sleep now means higher blood pressure, waste remains in the brain, higher blood sugar, and clogged blood
FROM L: GANDEE VASAN/GETTY IMAGES, GORODENKOFF/SHUTTERSTOCK
experts say. During the age of COVID-19, sleep issues have gotten worse. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, but 1 in 3 Americans gets less than seven hours in a typical day, according to the American Sleep Association. Among young adults, 37 percent reported poor sleep duration. During the pandemic, these numbers have gotten worse.
“Across the board, health behaviors, mental health, and things like insomnia have all been moving in a worse direction because of the lack of health care services and the prevalence of stress and unpredictable schedules on Americans,” said sleep expert Dr. Yelena Chernyak. Sleep loss has been on the rise since at least 1991, according to Gallup poll numbers. The 1990s were a time when personal computer ownership rose rapidly. The two trends might be connected, experts say, with sleep problems tracing back to two main sources—excessive work and excessive screen time. “Sleep is not a luxury,” Dr. Abhinav
