Sleepless in West Virginia

Not getting enough sleep? If you live in West Virginia, there's a good chance that you're part of the 20% of the population who suffer from insomnia:

West Virginians' lack of sleep was about double the national rate, perhaps a side effect of health problems such as obesity, experts said.

Nearly 1 in 5 West Virginians said they did not get a single good night's sleep in the previous month. The national average was about 1 in 10, according to a federal health survey conducted last year and released Thursday.

Tennessee, Kentucky and Oklahoma also were notably above average in their reported lack of sleep. In contrast, North Dakota had fewer problems sleeping, with only 1 in 13 reporting that degree of sleeplessness.

Health officials do not know the exact reasons for the differences.

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At first I read this as "WV in most need of sheep" and wondered "Why on earth does a state NEED sheep?"

Then I realized what it said and that I only got 4 hours of sleep last night. Go go coffee time!
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There's a lot of poverty in WV, especially the Appalachia areas. I imagine there are a lot of people working two or three jobs just to get by. Unfortunately, that's why meth is so popular in areas like that: it allows people to work two or three jobs with little sleep and little food. It's a sad situation.
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randolf hurts:

Of course it's the opposite:

"... did not get a single good night's sleep in the previous month ..."

Am so glad there's a whole state of people who can commiserate with my insomnia ...
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Why are we constantly being told that we don't get enought sleep?
It's almost like there is someone behind it, I'll go out on a limb to suggest it might be the sleeping pill guys.
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I think there is a perception among many Americans that less sleep translates into someone who is harder working and more dedicated to their job.

However I believe the reasons behind not getting enough sleep may have more to do with late night TV (or surfing neatorma), than actual spending more time at work.

A lot of us underestimate how much better we can preform on our jobs and in school after getting a good night's sleep. Our body seems to trick us sometimes into thinking we are fine when in fact our brains aren't working at 100%.

That said, the "right amount of sleep seems to be different for everyone and can often change from day to day. Sometimes I wake up feeling refreshed after 5 or 6 hours, but the next day I'll probably need 8.
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I lived in WV for two years and never got a good night's sleep. It was the nature of the work up there in the oilfield, and I'm certain that the other two major resource-based professions (coal mining and timber) are the same way. WV doesn't have very many manufacturing or service industry jobs, its hands-on blue collar work. Combine that with the poverty that greatly affects the diets and health of the non-laborers and the mindset of all residents, and you have a recipe for no one ever sleeping quite enough.

Still miss it, though; its a beautiful place.
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