Test Your Sleep IQ
The
following statements are designed to test your knowledge of sleep and its
function. Decide whether each statement is true or false and then read the
explanations that follow.
If you prefer, you can read all the questions and answers
at once.
1. Sleep is a time when your body and brain shut
down for rest and relaxation.
ANSWER:
TRUE or FALSE?
2. If you regularly doze off
unintentionally during the day, you may need more than just a good night's sleep.
ANSWER:
TRUE or FALSE?
3. If you snore loudly and
persistently at night and are sleepy during the day, you may have a sleep disorder.
ANSWER:
TRUE or FALSE?
4. Opening the car window or
turning the radio up will keep a drowsy driver awake.
ANSWER:
TRUE or FALSE?
5. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder
marked by "sleep attacks".
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
6. The primary cause of insomnia
is worry.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
7. One cause of not getting enough
sleep is restless legs syndrome.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
8. The body has a natural ability
to adjust to different sleep schedules such as working different shifts or traveling
through multiple time zones quickly.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
9. People need less sleep as they
grow older.
ANSWER:
TRUE or FALSE?
10. More people doze off at the
wheel of a car in the early morning or midafternoon than in the evening.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
11. The average teenager needs
about 8 hours of sleep every night.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
12. You can make up for lost
sleep by drinking caffeinated soft drinks or coffee.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
13. Lack of sleep can affect
performance in school, on the job, in sports, and can even make a difference in how you
look.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
14. Teenagers just naturally want
to go to bed late and get up late.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
15. Sleeping late on the weekends
will make up for lost sleep during the week.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
16. Driving while drowsy
(struggling to stay awake) is a significant factor in traffic crashes.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
17. Even a small amount of
alcohol when someone is sleepy can make sleepiness worse.
ANSWER: TRUE
or FALSE?
Answers
1. Sleep is a time when your body and brain shut down for
rest and relaxation: FALSE
Although it is a time when your body rests and restores
its energy levels, sleep is an active state that affects both your physical and mental
well-being. Adequate restful sleep is critical to good health. Insufficient
restful sleep can result in various mental and physical health problems.
On to #2
2. If you regularly doze off
unintentionally during the day, you may need more than just a good night's sleep: TRUE
Many people doze off unintentionally during the day
despite getting their usual night of sleep. This could be a sign of a sleep
disorder. Approximately 40 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia,
narcolepsy, and restless
legs syndrome. An untreated sleep disorder can reduce your daytime productivity,
increase your risk of accidents, and put you at risk for illness and even early death.
On to #3
3. If you snore loudly and persistently
at night and are sleepy during the day, you may have a sleep disorder: TRUE
Persistent loud snoring at night and daytime sleepiness
are the main symptoms of a common and serious sleep disorder, sleep apnea. Another
symptom is frequent long pauses in breathing during sleep, followed by choking and gasping
for breath. People with sleep apnea don't get enough restful sleep, and their daytime
performance is often seriously affected. Sleep apnea may also lead to hypertension,
heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. However, it can be treated, and the sleep
apnea patient can live a normal life.
On to #4
4. Opening the car window or turning the
radio up will keep the drowsy driver awake: FALSE
Opening the car window or turning the radio up may arouse
a driver briefly, but this won't keep that person alert behind the wheel. Even mild
drowsiness is enough to reduce concentration and reaction time. The sleep-deprived
driver may nod off for a couple of seconds at a time without even knowing it -- enough
time to hurt themselves or someone else. It has been estimated that drowsy driving
may account for an average of 56,000 reported accidents each year -- claiming over 1,500
lives.
On to #5
5. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder marked
by "sleep attacks." : TRUE
People with narcolepsy fall asleep uncontrollably --
at any time of the day, in all types of situations -- regardless of the amount or quality
of sleep they've had the night before. Narcolepsy is characterized by these "sleep
attacks," as well as by daytime sleepiness, episodes of muscle weakness or paralysis,
and disrupted nighttime sleep. Although there is no known cure, medications and
behavioral treatments can control symptoms, and people with narcolepsy can live normal
lives.
On to #6
6. The primary cause of insomnia is
worry: FALSE
Insomnia has many different causes, including physical
and mental conditions and stress. Insomnia is the perception that you don't get
enough sleep because you can't fall asleep or stay asleep or get back to sleep once you've
awakened during the night. It affects people of all ages, usually for just an
occasional night or two, but sometimes for weeks, months, or even years. Because
insomnia can become a chronic problem, it is important to get it diagnosed and treated if
it persists for more than a month.
On to #7
7. One cause of not getting enough sleep
is restless legs syndrome: TRUE
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a medical condition
distinguished by tingling sensations in the legs -- and sometimes the arms -- while
sitting or lying still, especially at bedtime. The person with RLS needs to
constantly stretch or move the legs to try to relieve these uncomfortable or painful
symptoms. As a result, he or she has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep and
usually feels extremely sleepy and unable to function fully during the day. Good
sleep habits and medication can help those with RLS.
On to #8
8. The body has a natural ability to
adjust to different sleep schedules such as working different shifts or traveling through
multiple time zones quickly: FALSE
The human body's biological clock programs each person to
feel sleepy during the nighttime hours and to be active during the daylight hours. So
people who work the night shift and try to sleep during the day are constantly fighting
their biological clocks. This puts them at a risk of error and accident at work and
of disturbed sleep. The same is true for people who travel through multiple time
zones quickly; they get "jet lag" because they cannot maintain a regular
sleep-wake schedule. Sleeping during the day in a dark, quiet bedroom and getting
exposure to sufficient bright light at the right time can help improve daytime alertness.
On to #9
9. People need less sleep as they grow
older: FALSE
As we get older, we don't need less sleep, but we often
get less sleep. That's because our ability to sleep for long periods of time and to
get into the deep restful stages of sleep decreases with age. Older people have more
fragile sleep and are more easily disturbed by light, noise, and pain. They also may
have medical conditions that contribute to sleep problems. Going to bed at the same
time every night and getting up at the same time every morning, getting exposure to
natural outdoor light during the day, and sleeping in a cool, dark, quiet place at night
may help.
On to #10
10. More people doze off at the wheel
of a car in the early morning or mid-afternoon than in the evening: TRUE
Our bodies are programmed by our biological clock to
experience two natural periods of sleepiness during the 24-hour day, regardless of the
amount of sleep we've had in the previous 24-hours. The primary period is between about
midnight and 7:00 a.m. A second period of less intense sleepiness is in the mid-afternoon,
between about 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. This means that we are more at risk of falling
asleep at the wheel at these times than in the evening -- especially if we haven't been
getting enough sleep.
On to #11
11. The average teenager needs about 8
hours of sleep every night: FALSE
Most teenagers need more sleep than their younger
siblings and more than adults -- about 9 hours of sleep per night.
On to #12
12. You can make up for lost sleep
by drinking caffeinated soft drinks or coffee: FALSE
While caffeinated drinks such as soft drinks and coffee
may assist you in staying awake in the short run, they cannot help you make up lost sleep.
On to #13
13. Lack of sleep can affect
performance in school, on the job, in sports, and can even make a difference in how you
look: TRUE
Sleep deprived people can have difficulties in paying
attention and concentrating. Lack of sleep can also affect your appearance.
On to #14
14. Teenagers just naturally want to go
to bed late and get up late: TRUE
Research has shown that the biological clocks of
teenagers push them toward later bed times and later rising times.
On to #15
15. Sleeping late on the weekends
will make up for lost sleep during the week: FALSE
You may not be able to catch up on lost sleep in only one
or two nights. It usually takes several nights of refreshing sleep to return your
body to normal.
On to #16
16. Driving while drowsy (struggling to
stay awake) is a significant factor in traffic crashes: TRUE
According to the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 56,000 police-reported crashes
per year result from drivers who were fatigued or asleep behind the wheel.
On to #17
17. Even a small amount of alcohol
when someone is sleepy can make sleepiness worse: TRUE
When sleep-deprived, the effects of just one drink of
alcohol can have the same effect as several drinks when fully rested.
This Sleep Intelligence Test was created by the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute. Top |
