Almost three-quarters of Americans are not getting enough sleep at night, according to a new study.
The National Geographic channel surveyed 1,033 Americans over 18-years-old and found that 73 percent of people sleep less than the recommended eight hours at night.
"Chances are you didn't sleep enough last night," John Hoffman, executive producer and director of a new documentary on sleep, said in a statement. "Lack of sleep is a surprisingly serious public health issue, and it's essential to enlighten the public before the problem becomes unmanageable."
Although most people said they weren't getting eight hours of sleep at night, most admitted that they need as much to feel refreshed at the beginning of the day, Huffington Post reported.
The researchers found that more than half of people are losing sleep over every day stressors, while 84 percent said the holidays are cutting into their shut-eye - regardless if it's over holiday excitement or financial woes.
Others blamed their loss of sleep on staying up late watching TV and scrolling through social media.
Hoffman told HuffPost sleep deprivation could cause a number of health issues (besides drowsiness and lost productivity). A lack of sleep could cause an increased risk of stroke, diabetes, obesity and even earlier death, he said.
"If we can prioritize sleep, we might stave off some of those very, very dangerous diseases," Hoffman said to HuffPost.
Researchers say that if you want a "quick fix" to getting more sleep you should give yourself an electronic curfew. This means turning off all light-omitting devices an hour before bedtime. Instead, they suggest taking up a more relaxing hobby such as reading, gentle yoga or quiet meditation.
