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Cited by 76Sleep and related disordersSleep and Work-Related FatigueCircadian rhythm and melatonin

Dubious bargain: trading sleep for Leno and Letterman

Open access
Basner, Mathias, Dinges, David F.·2009·Sleep
DOI 10.1093/sleep/32.6.747PMC PMC2690561
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Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sleeping less than 7 hours daily impairs alertness and is associated with increased obesity, morbidity, and mortality; yet up to 40% of US adults do so. Population data indicate work time is the primary activity reciprocally related to sleep time in the United States. Reducing work time and its economic benefits to increase sleep time may not be feasible for most of the population. We sought to identify waking activities under discretionary control and adjacent to the sleep period that would be a more feasible source for increasing sleep time. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: American Time Use Survey data from 21,475 respondents aged > or = 15 years were pooled for the years 2003-2006 to explore activities in 2-hour periods prior to going to bed and past getting up on weekdays. INTERVENTIONS: N/A. RESULTS: Long workers (> or = 8 hours) terminated bed time an average of 0.68 h earlier than short workers (< 8 hours, P < 0.0001) and 1.31 h earlier than respondents not working on the interview day (P < 0.001), but time of going to bed did not differ among groups (22:37 vs. 22:42 vs. 22:37, respectively, P = 0.385). Watching television was the primary activity people engaged in before going to bed, accounting for 55.6 min (46.3%) of the 2-h pre-bed period. In the morning, travel time and work time increased steadily toward the end of the post-awakening 2-h period, accounting for 14.8% and 12.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Watching television may be an important social Zeitgeber for the time of going to bed. Watching less television in the evening and postponing work start time in the morning appear to be the candidate behavioral changes for achieving additional sleep. While the timing of work may not be flexible, giving up some TV viewing in the evening should be possible to reduce chronic sleep debt and promote adequate sleep in those who need it.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Using 2003–2006 American Time Use Survey data, Basner and Dinges find that television viewing dominates the 2-hour pre-bed period and that long workers go to bed at similar times as others but get up earlier. They conclude that exchanging evening TV time for an earlier bedtime may be a more feasible way to increase sleep than reducing work time.

Key findings

  • Long workers (≥8 h) spent 7 h 32 min in bed, short workers (<8 h) 8 h 07 min, and nonworkers 8 h 50 min; the difference was due to earlier getting up (6:09 vs. 6:49 vs. 7:27, P < 0.0001), not earlier bedtime (22:37 vs. 22:42 vs. 22:37, P = 0.385).
  • Watching TV was the primary pre-bed activity, accounting for 55.6 min (46.3%) of the 2-hour pre-bed period; 68.1% watched at least some TV, 38.2% had TV as the last waking activity before bed, and TV peaked 36 min before bedtime when 51.1% watched.
  • Long workers watched only 2.6 min less TV than short workers (50.7 vs. 53.3 min, P = 0.0002) and 10.5 min less than nonworkers (50.7 vs. 61.1 min, P < 0.0001); pre-bed TV and time in bed were uncorrelated (Spearman rho 0.08, P < 0.001).
  • In the morning, grooming was dominant (20.2%); travel time and work time increased toward the end of the post-awakening 2-hour period, accounting for 14.7 min (12.3%) and 17.7 min (14.8%), respectively, with commute time making up 7.5 min (50.9% of travel time).

Methods

  • Pooled American Time Use Survey data from 2003–2006, restricted to weekday interviews (Monday 04:00 to Friday 04:00, excluding holidays or days preceding holidays), yielding 21,475 respondents aged ≥15 with identifiable bedtime and getting-up times.
  • Defined “time in bed” from ATUS sleep categories; bedtime was the first time-in-bed period initiated between 18:00 and 04:00 followed by ≥2 continuous hours in bed, and getting-up time was the first wake period after 04:00 before 12:00 followed by ≥2 hours of continuous wakefulness.
  • Analyzed waking activities in the 2 hours before bedtime and after getting up, using Census Bureau weights; median split by work on the interview day (no work N = 9,770; <8 h N = 5,589; ≥8 h N = 6,116), with Kruskal-Wallis tests and post hoc Mann-Whitney U-tests.

Limitations

  • Stated: ATUS response rate was relatively low (52.1%); self-reported sleep overestimates physiological sleep; ATUS sleep times exceeded National Sleep Foundation 2005 weekday sleep times by 89 min (+21.7%); intermittent wakefulness within the night was counted as sleep; some long workers may be naturally shorter sleepers or resilient to sleep restriction; advancing TV viewing may not benefit late chronotypes/night owls.
  • Evident from the text: the design is cross-sectional and observational, so it cannot establish whether reducing TV viewing would causally increase sleep, and “time in bed” is not an objective measure of physiological sleep.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1093/sleep/32.6.747

Cites

23 of 23 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 23 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    Time of going to bed did not differ among long workers, short workers, and respondents not working on the interview day.

    “but time of going to bed did not differ among groups (22:37 vs. 22:42 vs. 22:37, respectively, P = 0.385)”
    • Also stated in: § RESUlTS · plain
      “but not due to differences in time of going to bed (22:37 vs. 22:42 vs. 22:37, respectively, P = 0.385, Figure 1A)”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Watching television was the primary activity in the 2-h pre-bed period, accounting for 55.6 min (46.3%) of that period.

    “Watching television was the primary activity people engaged in before going to bed, accounting for 55.6 min (46.3%) of the 2-h pre-bed period.”
    • Also stated in: § RESUlTS · plain
      “watching television (TV) was the primary activity people engaged in before going to bed, accounting for 55.6 min (46.3%) of the 2-h pre-bed period (Table 2 and Figure 2A).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Long workers (≥8 h) terminated bed time earlier than short workers (<8 h) by an average of 40 min (0.68 h).

    “Long workers (≥ 8 hours) terminated bed time an average of 0.68 h earlier than short workers (< 8 hours, P < 0.0001)”
    • Also stated in: § RESUlTS · plain
      “long workers terminating bed time an average of 40 min earlier than short workers (6:09 vs. 6:49, P < 0.0001, Figure 1B)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Long workers (≥8 h) terminated bed time earlier than respondents not working on the interview day by an average of 78 min (1.31 h).

    “and 1.31 h earlier than respondents not working on the interview day (P < 0.001)”
    • Also stated in: § RESUlTS · plain
      “and 78 min earlier than respondents not working on the interview day (6:09 vs. 7:27, P < 0.0001)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Long workers watched an average of 2.6 min less TV in the 2 h pre-bed than short workers.

    “Prior to bed time, long workers watched an average of 2.6 min less TV than short workers (50.7 vs. 53.3min, P = 0.0002)”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 13
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 9

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Time in bed was 7 h 32 min for long workers, 8 h 07 min for short workers, and 8 h 50 min for nonworkers.

    “Respondents who worked ≥ 8 h (i.e., long workers) spent on average 7 h 32 min in bed, while those who worked < 8 hours (i.e., short workers) spent on average 8 h 07 min in bed, and those who did not work on the interview day spent on average 8 h 50 min in bed (Table 1).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Reduced sleep duration is associated with a higher prevalence of obesity, morbidity, and mortality, although causality is unclear.

    “reduced sleep duration has frequently been associated with a higher prevalence of obesity, 7 morbidity, and mortality, 8,9 although it is unclear whether these relationships are causal.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [7]

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [8]

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [9]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    Intermittent periods of wakefulness within the night were counted as sleep based on the definitions of time of going to bed and time of getting up.

    “Additionally, based on our definitions of time of going to bed and time of getting up, intermittent periods of wakefulness within the night were counted as sleep.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

    Study design and conductnone given

    It is unlikely that the overestimation of sleep time substantially biases the findings on waking activities in the 2-h periods before going to bed and after getting up.

    “However, it is unlikely that the overestimation of sleep time substantially biases our findings on waking activities in the 2-h periods before going to bed and after getting up.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Average crash rates for teen drivers in the study county in the 2 years after the change in school start time dropped 16.5%, compared with the 2 years prior, whereas teen crash rates for the rest of the state increased 7.8% over the same time period.

    “Average crash rates for teen drivers in the study county in the 2 years after the change in school start time dropped 16.5%, compared with the 2 years prior to the change, whereas teen crash rates for the rest of the state increased 7.8% over the same time period.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [19]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    The effects of sunset and time zone on TV viewing were much less pronounced than the effect of early television start times, corroborating that TV is a more influential Zeitgeber than sunset time and time zone differences.

    “Compared to this cue of early television start times, the effects of sunset (1 percentage point less TV for a 1-hour advance in sunset) and time zone (1.8 percentage points less TV for a 1-hour shift westward in time zone) were much less pronounced, corroborating the importance of TV as a more influential Zeitgeber than sunset time and time zones differences.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [15]

      Not checked in the free run.

    • Rests on an assumption: Many prime time and late night shows are broadcast one hour later in EST/PST time zones than CST/MST time zones.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Giving up some TV viewing in the evening should be possible to reduce chronic sleep debt and promote adequate sleep in those who need it.

    “While the timing of work may not be flexible, giving up some TV viewing in the evening should be possible to reduce chronic sleep debt and promote adequate sleep in those who need it.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Evening television viewing is under discretionary control.
    • Rests on an assumption: The timing of work is not flexible for most people.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Watching less television in the evening and postponing work start time in the morning appear to be the candidate behavioral changes for achieving additional sleep.

    “Watching less television in the evening and postponing work start time in the morning appear to be the candidate behavioral changes for achieving additional sleep.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Evening television viewing is under discretionary control.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    In previous ATUS analysis, time spent watching TV was only moderately increased in very short sleepers (<5.5 h) and very long sleepers (>9.5 h), and practically unchanged in all other sleep time categories compared to reference (7.5 to 8.5 h).

    “This was shown in our previous ATUS analysis, where time spent watching TV was only moderately increased in very short sleepers (< 5.5 h) and very long sleepers (> 9.5 h), and practically unchanged in all other sleep time categories compared to reference (7.5 to 8.5 h). 10”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [10]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Long workers could exchange more of their discretionary TV time for sleep time and reduce the 40 to 78 min time-in-bed gap between themselves and those who worked less and slept more.

    “The fact that they averaged 50.7 min of TV viewing before bed suggests that they could exchange more of this discretionary TV time for sleep time, and reduce the 40 min to 78 min time in bed gap between themselves and those who worked less and slept more.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: Evening television viewing is under discretionary control.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductreasoning

    The overall response rate of ATUS was 52.1%, which is relatively low.

    “The overall response rate of 52.1% is relatively low, which may be partly explained by response fatigue, as ATUS respondents were drawn from households that completed their eighth and final month interviews for the Current Population Survey (CPS).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    A 1-hour delay in high-school start times increased sleep duration and decreased extended sleep on weekends.

    “A recent study by Danner et al. was able to demonstrate that a 1-hour delay in high-school start times increased sleep duration and decreased extended sleep on weekends.19”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [19]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Restricting television time to only 30 min per day advanced bed time and increased total sleep time significantly in university students, while no effects were observed in elderly people.

    “They found that restricting television time to only 30 min per day advanced bed time and increased total sleep time significantly in university students, while no effects were observed in elderly people.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [18]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Television viewing before bedtime is remarkably common, temporally synchronizing, and the major contributor to the decision when to initiate the nocturnal sleep period, regardless of work status or hours.

    “The data from our study suggest that regardless whether or not one works for pay, or among those who work, whether or not the hours are long, television viewing before bedtime is remarkably common, temporally synchronizing, and the major contributor to the decision when to initiate of the nocturnal sleep period.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Sleep time may be increased on the population level by advancing prime time TV by one hour in EST/PST time zones, aligning it more with the photoperiod.

    “According to the results of Hamermesh and colleagues, 15 sleep time may be increased on the population level by advancing prime time TV by one hour in EST/PST time zones, and thus aligning it more with the photoperiod.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [15]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    The human circadian clock is programmed biologically to entrain to the solar photoperiod.

    “While the human circadian clock is programmed biologically to entrain to the solar photoperiod, 16 our data suggest that nighttime television has potent control over the behavioral timing of sleep onset for millions of Americans”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [16]

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    TV and alarm clock timing fluctuate relative to work hours, commute time, and day of week, and may further exacerbate social jetlag for most Americans.

    “Because TV and alarm clock timing fluctuate relative to work hours, commute time, and day of week, they may further exacerbate social jetlag 17 for most Americans.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [17]

      Not checked in the free run.

17 of 17

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Reducing work time and its economic benefits to increase sleep time is not feasible for most of the population.

    “If this is the case, reducing work time and its economic benefits in order to increase sleep time may not be feasible for most of the population.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many prime time and late night shows are broadcast one hour later in EST/PST time zones than CST/MST time zones.

    “Many prime time and late night shows are broadcast one hour later in EST/PST time zones than CST/MST time zones.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Evening television viewing is under discretionary control.

    “The fact that they averaged 50.7 min of TV viewing before bed suggests that they could exchange more of this discretionary TV time for sleep time”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The timing of work is not flexible for most people.

    “While the timing of work may not be flexible, giving up some TV viewing in the evening should be possible to reduce chronic sleep debt and promote adequate sleep in those who need it.”
4 of 4

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • As globalization and technology penetrate society, sleep-related beliefs and practices can change, including longer working hours, shift work, and discouraging naps.

    “As globalization and technology penetrate society, sleep-related beliefs and practices can change, including the provision of longer working hours,113–120 shift work,121–124 and discouraging otherwise culturally appropriate naps.125–127”

    From Sleep, Health, and Society (2017) · cites this paper as [117]

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • Morning travel and work percentages are reversed in the abstract

    Minor

    The abstract assigns 14.8% to travel and 12.3% to work. The results and Table 2 assign 12.3% to travel and 14.8% to work.

1 of 1

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

4 of the 27 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Wittmann M, Dinich J, Merrow M, Roenneberg T. Social jet- lag: misalignment of biological and social time. Chronobiol Int 2006;23:497-509.
  2. Lauderdale DS, Knutson KL, Yan LL, Liu K, Rathouz PJ. Self- reported and measured sleep duration: how similar are they? Epi- demiology 2008;19:838-45.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Basner, M., & Dinges, D. F.
Affiliations
  • Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR) (DE)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
Corresponding author
Basner, Mathias
ORCID
Venue
Sleep
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2009-06
Volume
32
Issue
6
Pages
747-752
ISSN
  • 0161-8105 (ISSN-L)
  • 1550-9109
DOI
10.1093/sleep/32.6.747
PMC
PMC2690561
OpenAlex
W4416612
Cited by
76
References
27
Citations by year
2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 5
FWCI
9.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • SLEEP (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • elib (German Aerospace Center) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • National Sleep Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Nursing Research (NR04281, R01NR004281)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
Keywords
sleep duration, bedtime timing, television viewing, working hours, chronobiology, sleep debt, time use
MeSH terms
Adult, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Leisure Activities, Male, Middle Aged, Sleep Deprivation, Television, Time and Motion Studies, United States, Wakefulness, Work Schedule Tolerance

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