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CNN Live At Daybreak

Sleep Deprivation Rising in America

Aired April 02, 2002 - 06:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: If you yawn through this next story, we'll understand why. Sleep deprivation is on the rise in the United States. The National Sleep Foundation has just released a study on how bad it is.

CNN Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Everybody wants it and nobody can seem to get enough. And now a new poll paints a disturbing picture of sleeplessness in America.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well I have three kids under three currently, so it's two hours at a time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I usually get between seven and eight and I usually sleep pretty good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I normally sleep three to four hours a night. I need more, a lot more.

DR. RUSSELL ROSENBERG, NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION: Apparently Americans are still chronically sleep deprived almost to epidemic proportions. And we're not getting more and more sleep even though the information is getting out there.

GUPTA: But what about the cumulative effect of too little sleep?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can feel myself get a little frazzled and a little short on things. And your memory goes a little bit, you know? You're not as quick on things.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm very irritable. I'm very grouchy. I'm very short tempered, and it's just because I'm tired and I just want to rest. And, I mean, that's all I can really thing about, is getting back to sleep.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cranky, agitated, and you're just like, "Hey, don't bother me."

ROSENBERG: The poll shows that people are more irritable and more frustrated in traffic per se. And, yes, there may be an increase in road rage. GUPTA: And if road rage isn't bad enough, sleepy drivers can be just as dangerous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are probably times I shouldn't have driven when I was tired.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've nodded a couple of times, yeah. You've got to be careful about that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you ever nod off?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, and that's what made me after that -- nodding off -- rolling off to the side. I didn't get in a wreck or anything, but I just went and decided after that it's best to have enough sleep.

GUPTA (on camera): This weekend we're going to lose yet another hour of sleep. Daylight Savings Time will spring our clocks ahead by another hour this Sunday morning. Here are some simple recommendations if you want to get a good night's sleep. Don't eat, drink or exercise up to two to three hours before bedtime. And make sure you have a consistent time when you go to bed and when you wake up.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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