Article by: Rumer Certeza
Photo: Newscom 

Wave the flag of the good old land of the free! Seems like Americans have outclassed their Europeans counterparts in certain categories but it's not exactly worth receiving a pat on the back.

Besides weighing more than their European rivals, Americans have been accused of being louder and ruder. Whaaat? But wait, here's the big catch-you ready? According to recent studies, there is at least one more difference between the two nations. And that is Americans are often sleepier.

According to a study presented today at the annual American Academy of Sleep Medicine meeting, an estimated one in five Americans have trouble..in well, staying awake. Or suffer from a condition known as chronic "excessive sleepiness."

To back up the theory more, Stanford University researches took the chance to interview more than 8,000 adults about their sleeping habits, alertness, health and mental disorders. Results gathered have proved that 19.5 percent fit the criteria to a 't', that is for "moderate excessive sleepiness" and around 17 percent of the subjects have made revealed that they had problems in staying awake and alert during work, in meetings and even in conversations.

Dr. Maurice Ohayon, principle investigator of the study and director of the Stanford University Sleep Epidemiology Research Center has admitted that America does indeed, have a problem with sleep.

Back in 2002, the same method was applied by Dr. Ohayon in studying the general population in the UK, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

And as expected, findings show that only 15 percent of people in the five European countries suffered from excessive sleepiness, while 20 percent of Americans suffered the same condition.

Ohayon says that the phenomenom getting worse and worse for the red, white and blue. The specialist reasons out that Americans are sleepier than the European population because the former sleeps less than what is considered normal.

But hold on. Because other sleep specialists disagree on such claims supported by Ohayon. They say that it's difficult for doctors to determine the quantity relating to amount of sleep. Surveys tend to be biased between responsive and non-responsive subjects. Researchers know less about the subject when the number is greater for people who decline to respond.

This whole issue is making my eyelids heavy.... Peace, sleepers.