The Problem With Americans: Too Much Sleep

Posted on Sep 24, 2012

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The importance of a good night’s sleep cannot be understated. Research suggests that getting eight hours every night can make you happier, richer, smarter and hornier. But for many Americans, the problem with their sleep pattern is not that they’re getting too little, but that they are getting too much.

According to newly released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American is getting 8 hours and 43 minutes of sleep every night. On the weekends, that figure increases to 9 hours and 21 minutes.

In addition to the obvious question—who are these people who are getting so much shut-eye?—you’re probably wondering why exactly this a problem. Well, the answer is because if you’re spending that many hours in bed, clearly you’re sacrificing time that could be spent doing something more productive for the greater good of this country. You know, working.

Business Insider:

Is there such thing as too much sleep? The real problem is that you’re sacrificing time for everything else.

Will and Bill Bonner recommend working 12-hour days if you want to get rich.

Donald Trump asked “How does somebody that’s sleeping 12 and 14 hours a day compete with someone that’s sleeping three or four?”

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer sleeps 4-6 hours per night. Same for Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi sleeps only four hours a night. So does Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne. So does Martha Stewart. Need we go on?

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—Posted by Tracy Bloom.

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