Cell phone use, specifically texting and talking on the phone, shows a significant age gap. More than half of generation Z’ers (56%) and nearly half of generation Y’ers (42%) say they send, read or receive text messages every night or almost every night in the hour before bed compared to 15% of generation X’ers and 5% of baby boomers.

Cell phones were sometimes a sleep disturbance. About in one in ten of generation Z’ers (9%) say that they are awakened after they go to bed every night or almost every night by a phone call, text message or email. About one in five of generation Y’ers (20%) and generation Z’ers (18%) say this happens at least a few nights a week.

“Unfortunately cell phones and computers, which make our lives more productive and enjoyable, may also be abused to the point that they contribute to getting less sleep at night leaving millions of Americans functioning poorly the next day,” says Russell Rosenberg, PhD, Vice Chairman of the National Sleep Foundation.

Baby boomers are less sleepy than generations Y and Z.

Generation Z’ers and generation Y’ers report more sleepiness than generation X’ers and baby boomers, with the 13-18 year olds being the sleepiest of all. Roughly one in five of generation Z’ers (22%) and generation Y’ers (16%) rate as “sleepy” using a standard clinical assessment tool (included in the poll) compared to about one in ten generation X’ers (11%) and baby boomers (9%).

Generation Z’ers report sleeping an average of 7 hours and 26 minutes on weeknights, about an hour and 45 minutes less than the 9 hours and 15 minute recommended by experts. More than half of 13-18 year olds (54%) say they wake up between 5:00 am and 6:30 am on weekdays— compared to 45% of generation X’ers and baby boomers and 24% of generation Y’ers.

“As children develop into their teenage years, their bodies are biologically predisposed towards later bedtimes,” says Amy Wolfson, PhD, an expert on adolescent sleep. “If they are required to get up before 6:30 to go to school, it’s impossible for teens to get the amount of sleep they need.”

(See appendix for profiles of sleepiness, technology use, and coping by age group.)

Coping with sleepiness through caffeine and naps.

Americans are coping with sleepiness by drinking caffeine and taking regular naps. The average person on a weekday drinks about three 12 ounce caffeinated beverages, with little difference between age groups.

Napping is common in all age groups, but the two youngest groups reported slightly more napping during the week. More than half of generation Z’ers (53%) and generation Y’ers (52%) say they take at least one nap during the work week/school week compared to about four in ten generation X’ers (38%) and baby boomers (41%).

For the more than a quarter who say their schedules do not allow for adequate sleep, when asked to evaluate the day after getting inadequate sleep, more than eight in ten (85%) said that it affects their mood; almost three-quarters (72%) said it affects their family life or home responsibilities, and about two-thirds (68%) said it affects their social life.