The National Sleep Foundation released the results of a survey on Tuesday, March 29th 2005 that correlates a good night's rest and sleeping in the same bed with a healthier sex life.

The Foundation recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. The results of their survey indicate that Americans get an average of 6.9 hours.

1,500 adults were polled. 87% percent usually watch TV within an hour of going to bed. 64% read before bed. And 47% usually have sex.

Sleeping in the same bed is considered one of the keys to a healthier sex life.

Most people -- 77 percent -- complained that their partner has a sleep-related problem. Snoring was the biggest problem, as well as waking up in the middle of the night.

Dr. Meir Kryger, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at St. Boniface Hospital Research Center at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg and a director of the Foundation said:

In my practice, I've found when couples are forced to sleep apart because of one partner's sleep problems, it often has a terrible effect on the relationship.

Foundation chief executive Richard Gelula said in a statement:

Half of the country sleeps pretty well -- the other half has problems.

People who sleep well, in general, are happier and healthier.

But when sleep is poor or inadequate, people feel tired or fatigued, their social and intimate relationships suffer, work productivity is negatively affected, and they make our roads more dangerous by driving while sleepy and less alert.

The Foundation, which issues regular reports showing Americans do not get enough sleep, stated:

Only about one-half of respondents are able to say on most nights, 'I had a good night's sleep'.

Nearly a quarter of those in a marriage or relationship said they had sex less often or had lost interest in sex because they are too sleepy.

One friend, a fellow entrepreneur, credits his healthy sex life to the once-a-day catnap he takes.

Even if he doesn't sleep well at night, the twenty minutes of rest he gets in his car while he waits for his daughter to finish her soccer practice is a plus to his wife. "He has enough energy to be intimate when he's had his power nap," she says.

Only eight percent of good sleepers in the study said that their intimate relationships were impacted because they were sleepy.

In contrast, more than a third of people who described themselves as poor sleepers said intimacy was affected.

At least 40 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, yet more than 60 percent of adults have never been asked about the quality of their sleep by a physician and fewer than 20 percent ever initiated a discussion.

What Kind of Sleeper Are You?

NSF found five clusters or "sleep personality" types.

The commonalities are based on sleep habits and more than 40 other factors including age, marital status, gender, employment status, diagnosed medical conditions, how often they feel tired/fatigued/not up to par, and the amount of caffeinated beverages consumed daily.

Sleep is vital to our health, our well-being and our sex life.

The poll, conducted by WB&A Market Research, used a random sample of 1,506 adults who were interviewed over the phone between Sept. 20 and Nov. 7, 2004. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

About The National Sleep Foundation

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting education, sleep-related research, and advocacy.

Established in 1990, NSF relies on voluntary contributions as well as grants from foundations, corporations, government agencies and other organizations to support our programs.

The goals of the National Sleep Foundation are to ensure that:

1. Americans are aware that their sleep is an important component of their health and safety, and that they make sleep a priority.

2. Americans recognize sleep problems and seek effective treatment.

3. Public and private institutions operate in a manner consistent with providing optimal sleep for human health and performance.

4. The incidence of drowsy driving is reduced so that it is rare and an exception.

5. New sleep discoveries are made that optimize public health, detection and treatment of sleep disorders, & public health interventions.

NSF is based in Washington, D.C.

National Sleep Awareness Week is a licensed program of the National Sleep Foundation.

The report released on Tuesday correlates with National Sleep Awareness Week, March 28th – April 3rd..

For more information on this survey and others, go to:

For a good night's sleep, Rugged Elegance recommends the Swedish Dux bed (available at Duxiana Stores).

Inspire & Be Inspired.

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "good sleep..." living!

~ Jennifer Carolyn King, Rugged Elegance, LLC