Many of us wish for a few more hours of sleep each night — who doesn’t like to wake up feeling rested? For adults, MayoClinic recommends seven to nine hours of sleep a night as a general guideline, but the average American only gets six hours and 40 minutes. Lack of sleep is linked with increased risk of motor vehicle accidents and increased likelihood of obesity, diabetes, heart problems, and psychiatric conditions like depression. Benefits of sleep include more alertness, better ability to learn and remember things, maintain a healthy weight, think more clearly, and many, many more.
For many employees working in fast-paced, high-demand industries, seven to nine hours of sleep is just a dream they would have if they ever got any sleep. A new survey by mattress maker Sleepy’s created a Shortest-Sleep Jobs list based on an analysis of individual sleep habits reported in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
“No matter your occupation, stress level or whether you work outdoors at a desk, Daylight Saving Time offers an important reminder of the effects quality sleep can have on the workforce,” said Dr. Robert Oexman, of the Sleep to Live Institute and consultant to Sleepy’s.
The 10 jobs with the least amount of sleep are:
1. Home health aides
2. Lawyers
3. Police officers
4. Physicians, paramedics
5. Economists
6. Social workers
7. Computer programmers
8. Financial analysts
9. Plant operators
10. Secretaries
The 10 jobs with the most amount of sleep are:
1. Forest, logging workers
2. Hairstylists
3. Sales representatives
4. Bartenders
5. Construction workers
6. Athletes
7. Landscapers
8. Engineers
9. Aircraft Pilots
10. Teachers
Working overtime can increase chances of depression and stress can affect health and even cause insomnia. It’s important for all workers, even those on the first list, to take care of their bodies and make sure they’re getting enough sleep.
Are you in any of these professions? How much sleep do you get?
