Poll Finds Third of Americans Losing Sleep Over Economy

One-third of Americans are losing sleep over the state of the U.S. economy and other personal financial concerns, according to a new poll released by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). The poll suggests that inadequate sleep is associated with unhealthy lifestyles and negatively impacts health and safety. NSF's Sleep in AmericaTM poll reveals striking disparities in the sleep patterns, health habits and quality of life between healthy and unhealthy Americans. Those in good health are two-times more likely than those in poor health to work efficiently, exercise or eat healthy because they are getting enough sleep. The number of people reporting sleep problems has increased 13 percent since 2001. In the past eight years, the number of Americans who sleep less than six hours a night jumped from 13 percent to 20 percent, and those who reported sleeping eight hours or more dropped from 38 percent to 28 percent. "It's easy to understand why so many people are concerned over the economy and jobs, but sacrificing sleep is the wrong solution," said David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation. "Sleep is essential for productivity and alertness and is a vital sign for one's overall health."

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I'm one of them. I have been losing so much sleep lately and have been very stressed out. I try not to worry about it but I can't stop myself from doing it.

I wish we could rewind some years off the clock and fix what has become broken, but we can't. We're stuck with what we got and the worst is yet to come.

Luckily, we can lose it all, but we will always have our families to help us get through this.

Just wanted to say, if you're feeling pain....i'm feeling it too....we're all in this together.

Try to get some sleep.

We are on the brink of bankruptcy. My husband has not had work in three days. I can't find a full time job.

I come into work everyday to watch these old biddies keep jobs because they want something to do.

One just likes to pay for three meals out everyday. I hope there is a special place in hell for her.

I am applying for a weekend minimum wage job, that will take me away from my family because we need the money.

Of course I am losing sleep.

reply to post by nixie_nox


Everyday i go to work there is almost nothing to do. It's dead slow. I've never seen anything like this before.

Losing sleep, hair is falling out, the stress is killing me, and on top of that I have a baby on the way.

And now the FDIC is saying they may go insolvent. Our money will no longer be guaranteed.

This sucks nixie.

I'm worn out. I try not to worry but i can't help it.

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by nixie_nox

 

Everyday i go to work there is almost nothing to do. It's dead slow. I've never seen anything like this before.

Losing sleep, hair is falling out, the stress is killing me, and on top of that I have a baby on the way.

And now the FDIC is saying they may go insolvent. Our money will no longer be guaranteed.

This sucks nixie.

I'm worn out. I try not to worry but i can't help it.

I know it is hard and a bit hypocritical on my part to say "don't let it get to you" because it was getting to me really bad as well.

I now "accept" that I can not prevent anything and have readjusted my role to helping others get prepared... mostly by talking at work to my guys at work and bringing them up to speed on the situation. Also, I rant on these damned boards and try to ask and answer questions the best that I can though I still get distracted with an occasional "gun control" or "religious" debate.

I also "accept" that I can only "do what I can do" to prepare should the situation deteriorate. Accumulating food, ammo, and such. Planing a bug out retreat, rifle range invitation to the guys at work on the weekends. Bringing light to the "possibilities" that to many are unthinkable.

I was made the butt of jokes a year ago but I only lost 20% of my 401k compared to the 40-60% of most people because I got out in April and transferred my money.

Now with the MSM reporting things are not so rosey, allot of people are starting to wake up and think about the bad possibilities.

It is easy, you can always eat the extra food you buy... food prices don't go down. Why would you NOT have a few months supply of food just in case?

But back to the topic.... Your no good to your family or yourself if your wired out and require anxiety medication..... your stressing yourself out on things that are beyond your area of control.

What you can control is your own preparation and calm debate / information sharing with those around you willing to listen and "play it safe" by at least preparing a little bit. (that could be the difference between life and death in a "bad" scenerio".

Come to accept that you can only do what you can do. Take care of your family and friends. You are more important to them than you are to anyone on the internet, politicians, etc.

It is almost like the stages of death (not a funny comparison but it really is)

The stages are:

1. Denial:
* Example - "I feel fine."; "This can't be happening, not to me!,
2. Anger:
* Example - "Why me? It's not fair!"; "How can this happen to me!"; "Who is to blame?"
3. Bargaining:
* Example - "Just let me live to see my children graduate."; "I'll do anything for a few more years."; "I will give my life savings if..."
4. Depression:
* Example - "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "I'm going to die . . . What's the point?"; "I miss my loved one, why go on?"
5. Acceptance:
* Example - "It's going to be okay."; "I can handle it with change"; "I can't fight it, I may as well prepare for it."



Once you reach acceptance (and you revert occasionally backwards btw) you will finally get back to business.

reply to post by infolurker


You are right info lurker. But the bills I can't pay are gonna catch up to me eventually. I already had friends being drug into court.

I try not to let it get to me sometimes, some days I am ok, some days I am not.

part of the problem is my husband has a mental illness. He has finally found a job that tolerates his condition, so he doesn't want to leave. but there is no work.

Out of all of my friends, one left state to find work, another works fast food on the weekends, and the rest of us are unemployed. It's becoming increasingly difficult for me to go through the motions of applying for jobs that I know I won't get (a lot of the jobs posted in my area actually scams, so that's 30% of the postings right off the top).

I'm on the brink of signing up for drug trials. I don't want to be a lab rat, but I also don't want to be living in a cardboard box.

I just laugh at outlandish things. It keeps the mood up.

reply to post by David9176

The economy is surely bothersome to many folks especially those who have a hard time to find a new job. But to say that one third of Americans are literaly "losing sleep" over the economy is another garbage cookie. If the economy is a bug sitting in so many minds, it's expected to modify their searches. Can't see that happening.





Only the last item is something like it.





[edit on 3/6/2009 by stander]

reply to post by stander


I don't agree. I haven't done any searches about losing sleep over the economy. I have just been losing sleep. It's stress. Stress isn't going to make you do a search about losing sleep over the economy.

if you are going buy your search box...then everyone seems to be infatuated with Niki Taylor...and I don't even know who that is...nor do I care.

I know for a fact that most of the people I work with have been losing sleep, as they've told me.

If your own workplace is slowing down and you look at the unemployment rate...you are going to worry...at least most would.

Amazingly, I have lost no sleep over this. Starting in high school, I realized I was one of those odd people who functions best late at night and runs a lot better on only 5-6 hours of sleep a night. My wife is zonked out by 9:30 at the latest, I generally am up until 1 AM at least, usually playing a video game, web surfing, writing, or tying flies. I almost always wake up a minute or two before the alarm goes off at 6 AM, ready to go.

I absolutely refuse to give my relaxation time to this crap. I have a personally imposed moratorium on news after 6 PM, including any and all political news. The only exception to that is web surfing, and I only allow that because I can quickly distract myself with something unrelated to news online.

It may be the equivalent to me sticking my head in the sand, but it gets me through with what's left of my sanity and my sense of myrth and humor.

reply to post by burdman30ott6


I used to be a 5-6 hour sleep guy...now i'm down to about 3-4. I tend to worry about things...we're all diffferent. I've always been a night owl myself...but this certainly bothers me.

Maybe it's because I have a kid on the way..if not...i wouldn't worry as much because there would be no one depending on me.

More power to you if you are getting sleep though...I wish I was that way.

reply to post by David9176


I have two toddlers, so I can relate to that. If it was just me or even just me and the wife, I wouldn't really care that much. As it is, the kids are why I have the media blackout going on. I'm more comfortable seeing horrible news in the morning and venting my rage then than I am in the evening. I also have determined that if the debt facing them gets too great and I feel that things are too out of control, we'll be leaving America behind and moving elsewhere.

Believe it or not, that attitude has saved my sanity. Face it, if they destroy what's worth fighting for in the USA, then there's really no point in staying here. I realize that's a plan of action some may consider cowardly, but the way I see it, I owe my kids more than I owe this country.

reply to post by David9176

I would expect that if the company you work may go out of business, the employees would worry. Obviously, the folks who are interested in celebrities or other subjects not related to the economic malaise work for companies that are not in deep trouble. The Yahoo "poll" speaks the clear language of majority. I would agree though that about one third of Americans were concerned about the financial meltdown talk of the last year, coz the Yahoo top searches box included the topic talked about those days.