Here's more contributors to poor sleeping habits that have nothing at all to do with any other existing health problem you may have: A lengthy commute to and from a job that requires a life-draining amount of time all by itself, according to recent research by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. That's only one of many sleep studies cited in this awesome Los Angeles Times article, most of which I've already posted on my Web site.
A longer commute -- navigating a maze of highways in the dark and in a car both day and night -- is only the number two reason people get less sleep, however. Spending long hours at work tops the list.
Before the study, based on numbers collected from the U.S. Department of Labor's American Time Use Survey, scientists speculated excessive TV viewing, entertainment and computers would top the list of sleep distractions. Fact is, a combination of long hours on the job, a too-far commute and living in an area that forces a patient to drive anywhere to get anything is the deadliest of them all.
The trick is to keep your commute by car -- including all errands -- to 40 minutes or less a day. Also, the more time you spend in a car (additional 8- minute increments) translates into a sleep debt of 15 minutes every night. And, it doesn't matter if it's one long car trip or several short ones either.
If you're struggling with sleep, chances are better than good your health is fundamentally impaired. Fortunately, you can solve your sleep problem and boost your health in the process, without the need for a health-harming drug, by taking advantage of some of the practical solutions outlined in my 29 Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep.
Los Angeles Times October 9, 2006
American Time Use Survey Resource Center Free Full PDF Study