Emerging majorities are more likely than Whites to get a good night’s sleep almost every night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Nearly half of Blacks do (45%), followed by 42% of Asians, 38% of Hispanics, and 36% of Whites. Asians (16%) are by far the least likely to say they only get a few good nights of sleep a month, compared to 34% of Blacks, 32% of Whites, and 28% of Hispanics.
Asians stay up later than other racial/ethnic groups, and awake later in the morning, whether on a weekday or a weekend. Whites, on the other hand, go to bed earliest and are among the earliest to rise. However, the average number of hours people sleep does not vary much by race/ethnicity: it ranges from 7.1 hours for Blacks to 7.4 hours for Asians on weekdays, and 8.1 hours for Blacks and Whites to 8.3 hours for Asians and Hispanics on weekends.
Whites (13%) are the most likely to use sleep medications a few nights a week or more, followed by Blacks (9%), Hispanics (8%), and Asians (5%). Whites (10%), Blacks (9%), and Hispanics (8%) are nearly equally likely to use alcohol to sleep, whereas only 3% of Asians do so. Hispanics (24%) are the most likely to use behavior methods to assist them in sleep, compared to 21% of Whites, 16% of Blacks, and 11% of Asians.
One explanation for why Asians are the least likely to use sleep aids and more likely to report good sleep is that they are less likely than other races/ethnicities to report worries that disturb their sleep (see chart). [Human Behavior, Health/Treatment/Wellness]
Source: “2010 Sleep In America Poll,” National Sleep Foundation, David Cloud, CEO, 1522 K St. NW, #500, Washington, DC 20005; 202-347-3471; nsf@sleepfoundation.org; www.sleepfoundation.org. Price: Available online at no charge.
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