Georgia Injury Law Blog
Sedentary lifestyles and bad eating habits are placing millions of Americans at risk of poor sleep patterns, increasing their chances of being involved in an auto accident.
This March, the National Sleep Foundation will mark Sleep Awareness Week. The special week will be commemorated between March 12 and March 18. The National Sleep Foundation wants Americans to understand that when they sleep less than the recommended number of hours a night, they place themselves at risk of tiredness and fatigue that increases their chances of being involved in an auto accident while driving. In 2022, the National Sleep Foundation underscored the car accident risks that come with being in a state of sleep deprivation by partnering with the Drowsy Driving Prevention Project and the National Safety Council.
Last year, the National Sleep Foundation commissioned a poll that threw up interesting insights about the sleep patterns of Americans. The poll found that far too many Americans are not getting enough light exposure in the daytime. Exposure to light in the daytime can keep you awake while exposure to dim lighting in the evening can help you sleep. When people have very little light exposure in the daytime, it can affect their ability to sleep well at night. Much of the night time light exposure for Americans is presently coming from smartphones. For most Americans, bedtime is preceded by at least an hour of scrolling through their smartphones. The blue light that is emitted from these screens actually inhibits your ability to sleep well. When you spend far too much time staring at your cell phone before going to sleep, it makes it that much harder for you to sleep. The result is fewer hours of sleep than you require, and consequently, a state of fatigue and drowsiness. The poll also found that many Americans follow irregular eating patterns, and these too can affect a person’s ability to fall asleep quickly.