The Sleep Myths Quiz

The CDC recommends a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night. Sleeping less than seven hours a night on average is linked to all kinds of negative health effects, from heart disease to diabetes.

A whopping two-thirds of Americans get at least seven hours of sleep each night. That may sound promising, but it still leaves more than 80 million Americans with serious sleep debts.

Contrary to popular belief, your brain and body functions stay active while you sleep.

Naps provide a temporary energy boost but do not offer the same health benefits of nighttime sleep.

Teens actually need slightly more sleep than adults and should average from nine to 10 hours each night.

An estimated 70 million Americans suffer from some type of sleep disorder, resulting in around $50 billion in lost productivity each year.

One out of five night shift workers surveyed reported having a crash or near-crash in the past year. These workers are particularly vulnerable when driving home from work in the early morning.

There is simply no substitute for adequate sleep when it comes to operating a vehicle, especially from 12 to 7 a.m. when the body is naturally most tired.

When subjects are given unlimited opportunity to sleep in a research setting, they average between 8 and 8.5 hours of shut-eye.

Elderly people need about the same amount of sleep as the average adult, but they tend to get less sleep on average due to medical conditions and increased urination frequency.

The ideal nap lasts just 20 minutes — long enough to refresh you but not so long that it interferes with your nighttime sleep.

Some sleepy children actually get hyperactive. In fact, overly tired kids are sometimes misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

It takes six to eight hours for the pick-me-up effect of caffeine to wear off, so consuming caffeine in the evening or at night can disrupt your sleep routine.

A solid 30-minute workout can help you sleep better, but not if you do it too close to bedtime. Schedule your workout so you're done exercising at least two to three hours before bed.

An estimated half of all adults snore, and those that admit to snoring do so regularly and loudly.

The majority of people with sleep apnea snore, but not all snorers have this condition, which could be serious if left untreated.

The four most common sleep disorders in the U.S. are insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy.

Taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep is one common sign associated with sleep disorders.

If you're having trouble sleeping, avoid laying in your bed awake for more than 20 minutes, as this can lead to even greater troubles with insomnia.

Drinking alcohol may make you fall asleep quickly, but it will cause you to wake up when the alcohol wears off, and it may make it difficult for you to get back to sleep.

Dial down that thermostat! The ideal range for quality sleep is 60 to 67 F.

A 102-degree Fahrenheit (39-degree Celsius) bath about half an hour before bed can help you sleep by lowering your body temperature.

The ideal bedtime snack blends carbs and protein. Try cereal with milk or cheese and crackers if you need a little something to help you sleep.

There is simply not enough tryptophan in turkey to impact sleep all that much. If you feel extra tired after Thanksgiving dinner, it's not the turkey — you probably just ate too much.

The light from your TV, phone or tablet can keep you awake, so turn off these devices and read a book at least an hour before bed.

Going to bed stuffed is as bad as going to bed hungry when it comes to building healthy sleep habits. Try and plan your final meal of the day for two to three hours before bed.

Your biological clock is programmed to make you sleep at certain times, a major cause of jet lag. Instead of attempting major changes, try adjusting your sleep schedule by no more than one to two hours each day when you travel.

A regular sleep and wake schedule — yes, on weekends too — is the most important factor behind building healthy sleep habits.

In one study, people who slept more than eight hours per night were more likely to die than those who slept less than six hours per night, even after accounting for the causes of all that extra sleep, such as health conditions or depression.

When you sleep less than seven hours each night, you build a sleep debt. By sleeping a little extra each day, you can repay the debt and restore your health.