By Martin Seeley, Senior Sleep Expert – 3 min read
In honor of National Caffeine Awareness Month, recent findings from a survey conducted by MattressNextDay revealed a concerning pattern in coffee consumption and bedtime habits among Americans.
The survey found an alarming majority of Americans (51%) currently have no cut-off or are drinking coffee or caffeinated drinks within three hours of going to bed.
Sleep expert Martin Seeley also offers his advice on the dangers of nighttime caffeine consumption.
The US states drinking coffee before bed:
| State | % of Americans with no cut-off or drink coffee at least 3 hours before bed | What time do you usually go to bed? |
| Indiana | 61% | 10pm – 11pm |
| Tennessee | 61% | 10pm – 11pm |
| Virginia | 61% | 10pm – 12am |
| Washington | 60% | 11pm – 12am |
| North Carolina | 59% | 10pm – 11pm |
| New Jersey | 55% | 10pm – 11pm |
| New York | 55% | 11pm – 12am |
| Arizona | 54% | 10pm – 11pm |
| Michigan | 52% | 10pm – 11pm |
| Ohio | 52% | 10pm – 11pm |
| Colorado | 51% | 10pm – 11pm |
| Georgia | 51% | 10pm – 11pm |
| Texas | 50% | 9pm – 10pm |
| California | 48% | 10pm – 12am |
| Illinois | 47% | 9pm – 11pm |
| Pennsylvania | 47% | 10pm – 12am |
| Florida | 44% | 10pm – 11pm |
The data found that 61% of respondents from states such as Indiana, Tennessee, and Virginia admitted to having no cut-off time or are drinking coffee within three hours of bedtime. While residents are going to bed around 10 pm, data found that 68% of Americans sit and watch TV when trying to go to bed.
The survey revealed that many Americans are going to bed around 10 pm – while States such as Virginia and New York extend bedtime as late as midnight.
Martin Seeley, Sleep Expert and MattressNextDay said: “Establishing consistent sleep schedules and minimizing caffeine intake before bedtime is essential to feel well-rested.
Consuming coffee or other caffeinated beverages close to bedtime can delay the onset of sleep, reduce sleep duration, and ultimately lead to daytime fatigue.
As it is National Caffeine Awareness Month, Americans need to prioritize their sleep health by adopting healthier bedtime routines and being mindful of their caffeine consumption habits.
Coffee can have many effects on your sleep including disturbing your sleep pattern, reducing sleep quality, daytime fatigue, and increased risk of insomnia – so educating yourself on your caffeine is important to have a better healthy night’s sleep.”
Sleep hygiene results of Americans revealed
Despite the Sleep Foundation recommending seven hours of sleep per night for healthy adults; on average, Americans are just shy of this, getting between six to seven hours of shut-eye every night. Although, 20% enjoy a longer lie-in on the weekends, at eight hours.
As a nation, it seems the US is more of an early bird than a night owl, with 40% of Americans going to bed between 10pm-11pm on a weeknight.
40%
of Americans go to bed between 10pm-11pm
For 50% of Americans, waking up once or twice in the night is completely normal, taking around 13 minutes to get back to sleep again. However, for a quarter of Americans, it can take up to 30 minutes to fall back asleep, which can cause them to feel unrested the next day.
The most common reasons for waking up during the night include being thirsty (36%), the room being too hot (32%), and a bad dream (24%). If the heat’s stopping you from getting to sleep, then have a read of our tips for sleeping in hot weather.
34% of Americans are guilty of drinking caffeine right before bed
Whilst two-thirds of Americans have a cut-off point for drinking caffeine to help them sleep better at night, 34% say they’ll drink it whenever. And it’s a similar situation with food, with 37% of respondents saying they don’t have a cut-off point for snacking.
We know using electronic devices can leave you struggling to get some shut-eye, but 68% of Americans admit to using their smartphone, tablet, or computer up to an hour before bed every night – and with 45% of people saying they only feel like they’ve had a good night’s sleep a couple of times a week, this looks like a strong correlation.
45%
of Americans say they only sleep well a couple of times a week
For almost 6 in 10 Americans, watching TV or movies before bed is the key way to unwind, with these relaxing TV shows the perfect watch before bed. However, one-third class use their smartphone or tablet as a way to unwind; reading a book, listening to music or podcasts, and having sex are also popular ways of winding down.
Finally, we asked respondents who have partners they live with whether they sleep in separate rooms, with snoring being one key cause of this. For 14% of Americans, they always sleep separately from their partners so they can get a good night’s sleep, and just a third say they’ve never slept in separate rooms.
14%
of Americans sleep in different rooms than their partner
So, how does your sleep routine match up with the American population? If you find you’re waking up feeling distinctly unrefreshed, and you know it’s down to the caffeine you’ve been consuming, then have a read of our blog on the benefits of a good night’s sleep, to see if we can convince you to step away from the coffee!
Alternatively, if you find yourself struggling to get to sleep at night because you’ve got back ache, then it could be time to invest in a new mattress! From memory foam mattresses to hybrids, extra firm mattresses that will provide you with all the support you need, through to super soft, it’s fair to say we’ve got all needs covered!
We even offer a range of pillows, mattress toppers and more, to help you get a good night’s sleep every night.
Methodology
We ran a national survey report on Americans: 1,500 survey respondents from 3Gen.
Source: News Release
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
