"They" in this case is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Their interest is not prurient, but pragmatic. According to their
latest studies, one in three of us don't get enough sleep. That totals
40 million workers getting less than six hours a night. Especially true
of night-shift workers who often hold critical jobs in health care and
transportation.
Look at it this way. How would you feel if the
pilot flying you 40,000 feet over the Atlantic had gotten only six hours
sleep last night? The study shows 20% of all traffic accidents are
related to sleepiness at the controls. Not to mention increased risks of
diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity.
Talking about
obesity, the BBC reports that taken cumulatively the world population is
16.5 million tons overweight. Although chances are, bad eating habits
are more to blame than bad sleeping habits. Especially in Sweden where
the workweek now averages less than 26 hours, allowing more time eating!
So what have we learned...?
Not
much we didn't already know. Americans have traditionally been a
hyperactive people. I mean we popularized the rocking chair, because it
means now you can be in motion even when you're at rest. But my concern
is not so much medical as it is social. Sleeping less often means
watching television more. If the Center were to visit our bedrooms
tonight, what might they see?
Well, beside that.
I'm
thinking they would see millions of fat sleepy Americans watching
bizarre people in reality shows who they would never allow in their own
home! I know we're sleepy, but crazy too...?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment