Illinois Is A Top Sleep-Deprived State In America

While we all should get at least eight hours of sleep, our bodies don't always allow it. How well do us Illinoisans really sleep at night?

Ever since I was young, I always went to bed really late. Once I get into high school, I'd pull all-nighters with my friends and thought we were so cool getting absolutely no sleep! Then, my lack of sleep caught up to me and I realized sleep is extremely important if I want to stay awake in class.

"Experts recommend that adults sleep between 7 and 9 hours a night. Adults who sleep less than 7 hours a night may have more health issues than those who sleep 7 or more hours a night." [nhlbi]

Now, as a fully grown adult, I get a minimum of eight hours of sleep, stay hydrated, take vitamins, and make sure I'm not depriving myself of the sleep I truly deserve. Can you say the same?

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MattressNextDay conducted a study of "Sleep Hygiene" amongst Americans and you'll be surprised how many people in the country drink coffee before bed. I've been guilty of it, sometimes it does help me crash haha.

"34% say they’ll drink coffee whenever and with food, 37% of respondents saying they don’t have a cut-off point for snacking." [mnd]

You should see the left side of my bed... all snacks an crumbs. No shame in my snacking game, period. At least I'm getting eight hours of sleep, that's all that matters!

There are so many factors that prompt us to wake up in the dead of night.

Sleep apnea
A crying baby
Nightmares
Bathroom breaks
Insomnia
Too hot in the bedroom
A snoring husband

Luckily, I only wake up for bathroom breaks and that's maybe twice throughout the night. Other than that, I knock out really fast and don't wake up until the sun comes up.

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Now, are Illinois residents sleep-deprived or do we take care of our sleep hygiene?

Illinois residents get an average of 5 hours and 57 minutes.

Not surprising considering North America gets the least amount of sleep compared to the rest of the country. Michigan, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Florida also made the top five states that are most sleep-deprived.

If you're really struggling to sleep at night, keep your eyes shut, or shut your brain off, WebMD offered great tips to help with that.

Avoid naps during the day
Wake up at a consistent time every day
Don't use electronics before bed
Only use your bedroom for sleeping

Try it for a few weeks and see if it helps - doesn't hurt to try!

LOOK: Here are the 25 best places to live in Illinois

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Illinois using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.