National Sleep Foundation begins work on measuring sleep satisfaction

Washington — The National Sleep Foundation is constructing a tool intended to measure sleep satisfaction among the general public.

NSF convened a panel of experts on July 15 in Palo Alto, CA, to develop a set of 13 questions to measure sleep satisfaction. The questions were published online Dec. 17 in the journal Sleep Health.

NSF’s panel agreed that the elements of sleep satisfaction should include how an individual feels:

• About his or her sleep
• Immediately after waking up
• During the ensuing day

The provisional survey also features questions about environmental factors such as bedroom temperature, noise and light, and bedding comfort. Part of the survey asks for responses on the time needed to fall asleep, whether that sleep is undisturbed and if the individual seeks any desired changes to sleep habits.

“Sleep health influences everyone, not just individuals with sleep problems,” NSF states in the report. “Understanding the importance of sleep on general health, social functioning and career satisfaction requires a holistic view of sleep in the general population. Sleep satisfaction is a concept for which no current tools exist for measurement, yet sleep satisfaction may be the best way to understand attitudes and perceptions concerning sleep in the majority of adults.”

NSF stated that it plans to launch the tool this summer.