Dr. Saphier shares tips for falling asleep as Americans admit lack of sleep interferes with 'day-to-day' life
Fox News contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier is sharing her best sleep advice this Mother's Day for new moms navigating the realms of parenthood as many Americans admit they struggle to get enough shuteye.
Dr. Saphier joined "Fox & Friends Weekend" to share the best tips for those who struggle to fall and stay asleep.
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"Anywhere from 30 to 50% of Americans say that they have difficulty sleeping," Dr. Saphier told co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy on Sunday. "Ten percent of them have such bad sleep that it actually interferes with their day-to-day life… I don't know about the trend... I try to stay away from any trends, but there are some things you can do to get better sleep, especially as new moms or just moms in general."
"First of all, there are medical conditions that can cause you to have poor sleep like gastroesophageal reflux apnea and others. So if...your sleep patterns have changed, definitely talk to your doctor about it, but for me, the things that are a must, you absolutely have to say goodbye to electronics at least an hour before bedtime. This signals to your brain, those bright lights are gone, it is time to go to bed."
Dr. Saphier advises those who battle sleep challenges to keep the room cool and avoid large meals before it's time to go to bed.
"Exercise during the day. Don't have a big meal, and you and I both like to have some herbal teas. You can add magnolia bark, ashwagandha, and some other things that can help you sleep as well," she said.
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Meanwhile, a recent Gallup poll revealed 57% of adults would "feel better if they got more sleep," while 42% said they get "as much sleep as they need."
These findings have nearly reversed in the last decade, Gallup noted in a press release. The last measurement in 2013 found that 56% of Americans got the sleep they needed while 43% did not.
Overall, however, Americans are getting fewer hours of sleep than they did in past decades.
In 1942, 59% of Americans were getting eight hours or more of sleep per night, while only 3% were getting five hours or less.
In 2024, only 25% of Americans get an average of eight hours of sleep, and 20% reported sleeping for five or less.
Young women are the least likely to get enough sleep, according to the study — with 36% of females versus 48% of males reporting getting enough shuteye.
Fox News' Angelica Stabile contributed to this report.