BOSTON -- A new poll finds that more than half of all adults in America experience frequent sleep problems, and world events probably aren't making matters any easier.
What's more, day-light saving time will have most of us losing an hour of sleep this weekend.
NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner spoke to an expert for advice on how to get a good night's sleep.
These days, it's no wonder people are having a hard time sleeping. Stress and sleeplessness are clearly linked, but sleep expert Steven Shea told NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner that during wartime, catching 40 winks can be even more challenging.
"Even people who do not have relatives or friends fighting overseas are stressed out by the war, so that in itself can contribute to disrupted sleep," Shea said.
Fear and worry aren't the only sleep stealers. A national poll released this week found that while older Americans sleep better than younger ones, 67 percent of people over 55 report frequent sleep problems. Those with the most difficultly suffer from medical conditions like high blood pressure, depression, heart disease and obesity.
"The weight of their abdomen pushes down on their lungs and their lungs get smaller and they can't breathe as much," Shea said.
Just an hour of sleep deprivation -- like many will experience this weekend when the clocks turn forward -- can have a measurable effect.
"Historically, it has been shown that the next day on Monday morning there are more accidents than on other Monday mornings," Shea said.
So what can we do? Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day and avoid naps and caffeine too close to bedtime.
"If you think the material on the television is going to be stressful, I wouldn't watch it at night," Shea said.
Copyright 2007 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
