Half of French people surveyed complain of lack of sleep, citing work, psychological problems and kids
People in France may take more vacations than Americans, but they do not feel more rested. A new study in France shows that one in two people in France do not feel they get enough sleep. According to an investigation devoted to the study of sleep, published March 10 by the National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (Inpes), 45 % of French people aged 25-45 feel they need more sleep than they are getting.
Inpes says an adult needs six to ten hours of sleep per night.
A quarter of the French people in the sleep survey also said they felt tired when they get up in the morning. Work is blamed as the number one cause of lack of sleep (according to 53% of people in the study), followed psychological difficulties (40%) and,to a lesser extent, children (27%), leisure activities (21%) and commuting time(17%). People in France suffering from insomnia sleep approximately 40 minutes less than the average time people reported by those who got enough sleep (6 hours an 41 minutes as opposed to of 7 hours and 21 minutes), while people suffering from a sleep deficit slept and average of only 5 hours and 48 minutes a night.
While sleep is regarded as ?a pleasure? for 86 % of the French people questioned in the survey, the French are guilty of many practices that have a negative effect on both sleeping time and quality, accroding to sleep experts. 24 % of people in France watch television in bed at night, and two people out of three consume stimulants like tobacco, coffee, alcohol, tea, sodas containing caffeine after 5 p.m., habits sleep specialists in France and elsewhere warn strongly against.
So how do people in France deal with this tiring problem? The nap is a popular method, particularly among those with sleep deficits (35%). 13% of the French take sleep aids, the majority of them psychotropic (54%), far ahead of of herbal teas (18%) and homeopathic remedies (17%).
Perhaps people in France could enjoy more of the ?pleasure? of sleep if they turned off the TV, quit smoking and cut down on coffee and wine?but for many in France, that would make being awake a lot less of a pleasure.
Ambien, anyone?
