Sleep is just as important to a person's health as eating right, exercising, and fostering mental and social well-being.

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According to the latest study from RetailMeNot, poor sleep can actually undermine other aspects of a healthy lifestyle.

The science on sleep is clear: sleep deprivation is associated with a variety of other health concerns, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, and depression. Further, the relationship between sleep and these conditions is often cyclical: people find it harder to sleep because of health issues, and health issues can be more difficult to manage when sleep is insufficient. On top of that, poor sleep also leads to car crashes, industrial errors, and other accidents that can cause serious injury.

According to the study, In Minnesota, 29.7% of adults are sleep deprived compared to 36.2% of American adults.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 70 million Americans experience insufficient sleep, defined as seven hours or less each night. In 2013, the CDC declared that this level of sleeplessness constituted a public health epidemic.

So why are adults struggling to get a good night's sleep? The CDC says there are many reasons that this could be possible including long commutes and long working hours, and spending time in front of bright screens can disrupt the body's natrual circadian rhythms.

The study found that 29.7% of Minnesotans sleep less than 7 hours per night. Here is the summary of data from Minnesota:

Percentage of adults that sleep less than 7 hours per night: 29.7%
Percentage of adults reporting poor physical health: 9.7%
Percentage of adults reporting poor mental health: 11.3%
Poverty rate: 9.0%

Compared to the entire United States:

Percentage of adults that sleep less than 7 hours per night: 36.2%
Percentage of adults reporting poor physical health: 11.8%
Percentage of adults reporting poor mental health: 12.9%
Poverty rate: 12.3%

You can read up on the whole study here.

 

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