Results of a poll released today show that one-third of Americans are losing sleep over the world economic crisis and other personal financial concerns. Chronic lack of sleep is associated with unhealthy lifestyles, poor job performance, and impaired judgment, and can negatively impact health.

The National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America poll surveyed 1,000 American near the end of last year about their recent sleep habits. Sixteen percent of those polled said they are losing sleep because of financial concerns, 15 percent reported losing sleep because of the state of the U.S. economy, and another 10 percent said job worries are keeping them awake.

The results also showed that in the past eight years, the number of Americans who sleep less than six hours a night jumped from 13 percent to 20 percent, and the number who reported sleeping eight hours or more dropped from 38 percent to 28 percent. Overall, the number of people reporting sleep problems has increased 13% since 2001.

According to the NSF, people who do not get enough sleep have more trouble working efficiently, which may compound stress they have about their job. Getting less sleep also makes it more difficult to exercise and eat healthy, leading to further health risks from an unhealthy lifestyle. Less sleep also makes you more than twice as likely to eat foods high in sugar and carbohydrates and to smoke cigarettes or use other types of tobacco. Not getting enough sleep may also impact leisure time, with many people reporting more difficulty having sex and engaging in their usual leisure activities, according to the NSF.

The NSF also says that lack of sleep not only endangers your health but can put you at greater risk of suffering a serious accident, such as falling asleep while driving. According to the poll, more than one-half of adults (54 percent) have driven when drowsy at least once in the past year and nearly one-third of drivers polled (28 percent) say that they have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving a vehicle.

The NSF suggests that doctors should always ask their patients about how they are sleeping in addition to the routine questions about diet and physical activity.

If you are having difficulty sleeping, you may be able to improve your sleep by practicing better "sleep hygiene." This requires you to follow a set of rules that help keep your sleeping routine regimented, including going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, avoiding naps, and using the bed for sleep and sex only (not watching TV, reading, or doing work). If you are having trouble sleeping due to your worries about the economy, talk to your doctor about ways you can improve your sleep.

For more information on good sleep hygiene and other sleep issues, read the Healia Health Guide to Excessive Sleepiness. For ways to help you deal with the stress of tough economic times, see the Healia Health Guide to Stress Management. If you want to share your own experience battling sleep problems, join the Healia Health Community for Sleep Disorders.