We’re really not surprised these are the most sleep deprived people in the United States
No surprise here: a recent survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified single mothers as the most sleep deprived people in the United States. Oh, no. These are the women who need and downright deserve the most rest!
According to the CDC, a full 44 percent of single mothers living at home with children under the age of 18 came up short in getting the recommended 7 hours of sleep. That’s almost 50% of all single mothers! Single mothers also reported having the most difficult falling and staying asleep (24%), trouble resting for four or more times per week (28%), and feeling that they are not well rested (57%).
Lack of sleep could spell trouble for these poor women’s health down the line. The CDC warns that lack of sleep could increase the risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other health problems. Proper sleep is necessary for learning and processing memories, and getting too little sleep can lead to poor judgment and may increase risk-taking. Furthermore, it creates a higher likelihood of being involved in workplace accidents or fatal car crashes.
The thing is, single fathers did not fare much better in the survey: 38% of single dads surveyed lacked the proper hours of rest. In comparison, 33% of two-parent families claimed to have the same problems with getting the right amount of sleep. It’s clear that the demands are higher in single parent households, where sleep is one of the first sacrifices a parent will make.
We hope the next study is all about how single parents who DO get enough sleep manage to complete this seemingly Herculean task, because it sounds like there are a ton of parents, moms in particular, who could really use some advice out there.
(Image via Warner Bros. Television)