Many Americans lose sleep on election night

Nearly one-third of Americans may lose sleep on election night, according to results of a survey commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

“Election night stressors and nonstop news coverage can create an environment that is not conducive to healthy sleep,” Kannan Ramar, MD, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, said in a press release. “Not only are individuals more likely to stay up past their bedtime to see election results, they are more likely to consume coverage across multiple platforms simultaneously — TVs, mobile phones and other electronic devices.”

The online survey, which was performed by the independent market research agency Atomik Research from Sept.17-20, 2019, included 2,003 adults from the United States.

Among respondents, 11% said that they were extremely tired after election night, 21% said they were somewhat tired and 68% they were no more tired than usual.

Those aged 18 to 24 years were the most likely to report feeling tired after election night, with 35% reporting that they were extremely or somewhat tired.

Broken down by specific generation, the Silent Generation — those aged 74 years and older — were more likely to be tired than usual after election night, with 37% reporting that they were extremely or somewhat tired.

When examining responses based on region where participants lived, researchers determined that those in the Northeast were the most likely to be more tired than usual, with 34% reporting that they were extremely or somewhat tired after election night.

To help get restful sleep on election night, the AASM recommended against caffeine consumption 6 hours before bedtime and to avoid alcohol, watch election results outside the bedroom and keep phones out of the bedroom to resist the temptation to check social media.

“Blue light emitted by screens prevents the production of melatonin, the hormone which signals to the brain that it’s time for sleep,” Ramar said in the release. “This physical impact of blue light exposure, combined with the mental and emotional toll of election anxiety, can fuel a state of mind which inhibits sleep.”

References:

American Academy of Sleep Medicine. AASM Sleep Prioritization Survey After Election Night.

Press release.