231. New study reveals sleep habits of children and adults
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
A new study reveals the sleep habits of men and women and how they change over time. In the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers at the Medical College of Georgia collected sleep data from over 11,000 individuals aged six and older who wore accelerometers for seven straight days. The researchers found that generally, nighttime sleep decreases as we get older, dropping significantly from about age 10 into our fifties, before we start getting a little more sleep. Sleep efficiency — or the time you actually sleep compared to the length of time you’re in bed trying to sleep – also tends to decrease with age. And it turns out that females sleep longer throughout their lives than men, but they go to bed later and are more often interrupted.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
