HICKSVILLE, NY--(Marketwire - Feb 22, 2012) - Daylight Saving Time is Sunday March 11th, but the real impact of "springing forward" and losing an hour of sleep is felt on the back-to-work Monday. That day, most of us will suffer from sleep deprivation.
But what about the rest of the year? A new ranking conducted for Sleepy's, the Mattress Professionals, points to those jobs where workers report the shortest sleep time. The Shortest-Sleep Jobs list is based on an independent analysis of individual sleep habits as reported in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The data reveals the following sleep patterns among America's workers -- none of whom attain the 8- hours we were all taught to strive for. The list is presented with the shortest sleepers at the top.
1. Home Health Aides
2. Lawyers
3. Police Officers
4. Physicians, Paramedics
5. Economists
6. Social Workers
7. Computer Programmers
8. Financial Analysts
9. Plant Operators
10. Secretaries
The study also identified the Top 10 occupations generally considered to be the "most well-rested." The jobs with workers who, on average, get the most sleep are presented below, with the most well-rested at the top.
1. Forest, Logging Workers
2. Hairstylists
3. Sales Representatives
4. Bartenders
5. Construction Workers
6. Athletes
7. Landscapers
8. Engineers
9. Aircraft Pilots
10. Teachers
Not surprisingly, professions with the least amount of sleep also correlate with some of the most stressful jobs such as those in law enforcement. Although some jobs with shorter sleep correlate with other known rankings, such as most dangerous, certain professions may have their own unique contributing factors:
- Lawyers may be up at night worrying about their law school loans. In 2009-2010, the amount borrowed for law school averaged $68,827 for public law school graduates and $106,249 for private law school graduates.
- Stress may be at the heart of Police Officers' short sleep. The occupation was among the top ten most stressful jobs of 2012. In addition, a new study found that 40% had at least one sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea or insomnia.
- Healthcare professionals such as emergency medical technicians and paramedics work on average 180 hours more than the average person each year and often have to be on call all night, accounting for their shorter sleep time.
At the other end of the scale, those occupations with longer sleep periods include jobs that involve working outdoors, such as construction workers and forestry workers. The daylight-only schedule or just the additional sunlight may allow these workers a few more minutes of sleep each night. In addition, it is worth noting that some of the most well-rested occupations correlate with the least stressful job rankings according to CareerCast.com's annual list, such as hairstylists, who fall neatly into the "personal care and service" category.
"No matter your occupation, stress level or whether you work outdoors or at a desk, Daylight Saving Time offers an important reminder of the effects quality sleep can have on the workforce," said Dr. Robert Oexman, of the Sleep to Live Institute and consultant to Sleepy's. "We encourage people to take stock of their sleep habits and make improvements where they can."
About the study
The analysis for this report made use of data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) for their annual National Health Interview Survey. In 2010, more than 27,000 adults were interviewed to collect information on health behaviors. These publically-available data were then independently analyzed using two variables: 1) average hours of sleep that respondents reported getting in a 24-hour period; and 2) respondents' occupations, classified according to the Department of Labor's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. Although these data were collected by the NCHS, all analyses, interpretations, or conclusions presented here were reached by independent consultants and not the NCHS.
About Sleepy's
Sleepy's, The Mattress Professionals® is a privately-owned 4 generation company with over 700 retail locations in thirteen states, spanning from New Hampshire to North Carolina and available nationally through www.sleepys.com. Throughout Sleepy's 53-year history, they have supported the idea that one mattress does not fit all, carrying a wide selection of mattresses so their customers are certain to find the one that suits them best. Keeping up-to-date on all the latest innovations in sleep technology, Sleepy's, The Mattress Professionals® carries the latest in Sealy, Serta, Simmons, Beautyrest, Posturepedic, Tempur-Pedic, My Side series mattresses and 12 other brands to fit any price range or comfort level. For more information, call 1-800-SLEEPYS (1-800-753-3797), or visit us at www.sleepys.com.