With society engulfed in a technologically-driven world, it\u2019s no surprise that people are sleeping less each night. What\u2019s to blame? According to studies, cell phones and computers are the biggest distractors.<\/p>\n
Many sleep specialists have reported that texting is still on the rise, especially among adolescents and young adults. According to studies, teenagers send an average of 100 text messages a day and are now even responding to text messages subconsciously. It happens so frequently that it\u2019s been given a name\u2014\u201csleep texting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe phone will beep [and] they\u2019ll answer the text,\u201d said Elizabeth Dowell, a nursing professor at Villanova University. \u201cThey\u2019ll either respond in words or gibberish. [It] can even be inappropriate. Ex-girlfriends contacting ex-boyfriends, saying \u2018I miss you; I want to see you.\u2019 The thing that happens, though, is that when they wake up, there\u2019s no
\nmemory.\u201d<\/p>\n
And this doesn\u2019t only happen to teenagers. Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist, told the Huffington Post<\/a> that based on his conversations with patients, he believes that anyone who sleeps with a phone nearby is susceptible to this growing trend.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s basically what we call an arousal disorder,\u201d said Breus. \u201cSomebody gets woken up but is not completely awake from the process of sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n The bottom line is that this behavior is negatively affecting the bottom line. According to a Harvard Medical School study, chronic exhaustion is costing the economy $63.2 billion in lost productivity. Because of this, employers nationwide are finding ways to encourage workers to sleep better at night. Experts suggest that adults should sleep seven to nine hours per night, while teenagers need more than that to function properly.<\/p>\n