Best Places to Sleep (aka "Sleep in the City" Study)

[Michele Zone]

I found this study sort of amusing: Best Cities for Good Sleep. The study is done by the same folks who brought us "best places to live", "best places to retire", etc.

Detroit and Cleveland were dead last -- or, um, first of the worst, I suppose.

San Francisco also ranked in the bottom ten.

Chicago did well overall, in spite of some poor ratings in certain "indicators".

Surprisingly, Washington D.C. is also in the top ten.

I am wondering if Cyburbians generally fit the pattern of the city they live in. I don't live in any of those cities but I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and I definitely have sleep issues. Anyone else want to fess up?

Signed: Sleepless but not in Seattle.

[jordanb]

What a stupid study.

[BKM]

What a stupid study.

I agree with his smart-aleck comment.

[PlannerByDay]

HMMM,

I didn't see my bed on that list. Personaly, I really don't think much of that study. I think sleep depends on many things and geographic location is about last on the list.

Bed quality, bed company/partner , and room temp. are top on my list.

[The One]

It just goes to show how we waste our time and $ with weird studies....

[Michele Zone]

Although I can see where "location" could impact sleep -- due to allergies, noise levels, stress levels, etc -- I also thought the study was kind of silly. But that doesn't answer my question: if you live in one of the cities cited in the article, do you seem to generally fit of the "profile" for that city of sleeping well or not sleeping well? I have not slept well for more than 5 years, but that is due to a lengthy health crisis and it has been slowly improving. In recent weeks, I have had some of the best sleep of the past several years.

Some confounding factors that occured to me while reading the article: San Francisco has a high percentage of doctors per capita and some major medical research centers. Perhaps, like me, a lot of San Franciscans don't sleep well due to their health problems and they are in San Francisco in part for the excellent health care, which is one of my reasons for wanting to remain in the SF Bay Area in spite of the exorbitant cost of living and the fact that I am facing a divorce. Child support payments would stretch a lot farther elsewhere but most normal doctors have never even heard of my diagnosis. I have had the experience of being denied treatment in the ER about 18 months after my diagnosis, convincing me that I do not want to move someplace where No One has heard of my obscure diagnosis -- it could literally kill me. Sigh.

So I think the study is silly and also flawed on the face of it but, still: how are cyburbanites in these cities (or surrounding areas) sleeping?

[The One]

Although I can see where "location" could impact sleep -- due to allergies, noise levels, stress levels, etc -- I also thought the study was kind of silly. But that doesn't answer my question: if you live in one of the cities cited in the article, do you seem to generally fit of the "profile" for that city of sleeping well or not sleeping well? I have not slept well for more than 5 years, but that is due to a lengthy health crisis and it has been slowly improving. In recent weeks, I have had some of the best sleep of the past several years.

Some comfounding factors that occured to me while reading the article: San Francisco has a high percentage of doctors per capita and some major medical research centers. Perhaps, like me, a lot of San Franciscans don't sleep well due to their health problems and they are in San Francisco in part for the excellent health care, which is one of my reasons for wanting to remain in the SF Bay Area in spite of the exorbitant cost of living and the fact that I am facing a divorce. Child support payments would stretch a lot farther elsewhere but most normal doctors have never even heard of my diagnosis. I have had the experience of being denied treatment in the ER about 18 months after my diagnosis, convincing me that I do not want to move someplace where No One has heard of my obscure diagnosis -- it could literally kill me. Sigh.

So I think the study is silly and also flawed on the face of it but, still: how are cyburbanites in these cities (or surrounding areas) sleeping?

I'm near Miami and not sleeping well .....wife had to yell at a local (very local) church at 9PM to get them to stop their loud speaker induced chants and yelling at a mid week and school night gathering.....they didn't want to be quiet until she said "this isn't very christian of you" .....that did the trick and they were much more quiet....as for me....I've always been able to sleep through trains and planes....but now that I'm getting older noise and light really bug me much more ....

[valhallan]

Sure it's silly, but this is the not-so-serious side of Cyburbia, is it not?

I'm in metro DC and have no problem sleeping.. the work-aholic nature of Washington seems to breed an ability to sleep at will.

[nighthawk1959]

Living in the midst of 75 acres like I do, sleep is no problem. However, right after I came off the road, I had some difficulty sleeping without the rumble of a diesel engine in my ears. What you get used to is more important than where in most cases. Special circumstances would definitaly be allergies or something of that nature.

[Michele Zone]

I'm in metro DC and have no problem sleeping.. the work-aholic nature of Washington seems to breed an ability to sleep at will.

My husband is military and he usually resembles that remark. I have a cousin in the Navy. Many years ago, when his flight was changed, he curled up with his duffle bag under some chairs at the airport and was snoozing when his parents showed up to look for him -- they drove an hour or two to go get him rather than wait for him to catch a hop to their city and they had trouble finding him.

[Bear Up North]

The authors of the study must play Civilization II, because they kept referring to a Happiness Index.

Sleep is no problem for this Bear. Stays awake for a bunch of months and eats a lot of berries. Cuddles up inside a tree stump when it gets cold and hibernates.

(Toledo AKA Swanton not on the study.)

Bear With A Pic-A-Nic Bas-Ket