72% of Men Admit to Staying Up Late to Watch Sports

The real madness of March? Staying up too late to catch NCAA basketball games night after night. In a survey conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), 58% of Americans admitted to staying up past their bedtime to watch a sporting event — including 72% of men. With a full schedule of games lasting into the night, basketball is likely to steal sleep from many fans this month — and losing sleep has consequences. // //

“A lack of sleep can lead to trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling emotions and more,” said AASM President Dr. Kelly A. Carden. “It’s important to ensure sleep is a priority — even if there is a great game on — because getting healthy sleep on a regular basis positively impacts health, well-being and performance.”

It’s not just fans who need to prioritize sleep. Studies have shown that players who increase their sleep duration exhibit improved performance on the court. According to a 2011 study published in the journal Sleep, when players on the Stanford University men’s basketball team extended their sleep, they demonstrated improved shooting accuracy, with both free throw percentage and 3-point field goal percentage increasing by 9%. In addition, players improved their average sprint time. To view more details on the Sleep Prioritization Survey and results, visit www.aasm.org/newsroom. For more tips to make the most of your sleep, visit www.sleepeducation.org.



Source-Newswise