Whether it is stress and worry or you’re on the road, the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) and AmericInn Hotels have the results on why there is an increase of insomnia in America.

The National Sleep Foundation’s ‘Sleep in America’ poll revealed that the number of people reporting sleep issues has increased by 13% since 2001. In the past eight years, the number of Americans who sleep less than six hours a night jumped from 13% to 20%, and those who reported sleeping eight hours or more dropped from 38% to 28%.

The findings also indicated that 27% of Americans have been losing a few nights a week due to stress and worry over the economy and their own personal financial concerns. Other concerns found: the war in Iraq, healthcare, global warming and terrorist attacks.

We found that AmericInn Hotel conducted it’s own sleep survey in 2008, the National Sleep Quality Survey. It was conducted online in 2008, surveying 1,000 men and women ages 18-55+ across the United States.

There are so many influencers that can cause sleepless nights. It can be anything from stress during the day to that bite of chocolate you had at dinner. But one of the most common factors that keeps us awake at night are outside noises, which can be eliminated or at least softened by a few home remedies or better insulation.

Whether you live in the city, suburbs or country, there are always noises like trucks driving by, barking dogs, road construction or noisy neighbors that wake us up in the middle of the night. There is the old trick of using heavy curtains and heavy rugs to help deaden the outside noise. You can also add soundproof windows to your existing windows, creating an extra barrier between you and the noise.

Another challenge is living in an apartment or home with pre-existing thin walls. An easy, do-it-yourself option is QUIET BARRIER™ sound blocking material, which is an extra layer of foam placed over your wall. After hanging the foam layer, apply the drywall over it and the project is complete. If you’re renting you’ll want to get your landlord’s permission first.

For those who consistently are interrupted by loud noises at night and have tried a few homemade fixes, the next step may be investing in new insulation to help quiet your home. Insulation companies, like Minnesota-based AAD Foam Insulation, LLC, use a foam that attaches itself to the inside of homeowners’ walls. The foam is sprayed into wall cavities and expands to fill any space. The foam doesn’t shrink, sag or settle, so walls are strengthened and quiets room environments. The spray foam also acts a wind and air barrier making your home more energy efficient.

Maybe noise is not a factor when you’re sleeping comfortably at home, but rather when you’re traveling and staying at a hotel. Noise made by your neighbors is out of your control, but you can try to prevent it by choosing hotels that offer a quiet stay. For example, AmericInn hotels use a patented process called AmericInn SoundGaurd™ construction that uses masonry blocks, sound deadening foam and concrete slabs to eliminate noises between the rooms.