Wonder why we are sleepless in Georgia?

I know you are very busy and I don’t want to take up a lot of your time, but I think you need to see this. A firm called Diamond Rehab Thailand, which calls itself one of the leading luxury insomnia treatment centers in Asia (I’m not sure how many luxury insomnia treatment centers there are in Asia to begin with, but that’s a story for another day), sent a list of the Most Sleepless States in the U.S. Georgia ranks 6th. I thought that would get your attention.

The study found that 35.8% of adults in our state are getting less than seven hours sleep each night. I’m not sure how someone in Thailand would know that. I guess luxury insomnia treatment centers know stuff the rest of us don’t know, even in Thailand.

According to their study, Hawaii is the most sleepless state of all. It seems that 39.4% of its citizens get on average less than seven hours of sleep nightly, and Hawaiians aged 45-64 get even less. Diamond Rehab Thailand doesn’t go into detail as to the reasons why, but I’m thinking they can’t get the sound of ukeleles out of their heads. I’m sure I couldn’t.

If you haven’t dozed off by now, you may be interested to know that West Virginia ranks second. Since that state is in the Bottom Ten of just about everything measurable from health care to education to the economy, you can’t blame them for not sleeping well.

Kentucky was third among sleepless states, according to the study. That one is easy. Their basketball team, which is always expected to compete and win national championships every year, is just a cut above mediocre this year (15-7, last I looked). Being among basketball’s commoners must have their fans walking the floor at night.

Coming in 4th was our neighbor Alabama. While 38.3% of adults reported insufficient sleep, the rate was even higher with those aged 18-44 at 41%. My abacus tells me that more than four in ten adults skewed on the younger side of the demographic scale are losing sleep at night. Another easy one.

Alabama is all about football. I mean, what else is there in Alabama? Yes, the University of Alabama’s basketball team is ranked #4 in the nation — tying the state’s sleeplessness score — but I doubt the majority of fans could tell you who the coach is. They can tell you, however, that they didn’t make it to the College Football Playoffs last year, haven’t won a national championship in two years and have won only six since Nick Saban showed up.

Auburn, on the other hand, goes through coaches like a box of Kleenex. I’m thinking the insomnia issue is due to Alabama fans wondering when they are going to win another national championship and Auburn coaches wondering when they are going to get fired.

Louisiana is the 5th most sleepless state in the nation. That’s understandable. Those living in whatever part of the state that hasn’t already been blown away by the latest hurricane are wondering when their turn is coming. The insomnia experts in Thailand don’t elaborate, but I suspect those pacing the floor in Louisiana are sporting snorkel masks and innertubes.

That brings us to the Great State of Georgia, which ranks 6th among the most sleepless states in the country. Really? What in the name of Tyrus R. Cobb could be keeping us awake at night? Our state has so much surplus money our political leaders are trying to figure out how much of it to give back to us. We are becoming the electric vehicle capital of the nation, and plants and jobs are springing up all over the state.

We have the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains to our north and the Golden Isles to our south. In between are pecan and peach orchards. Our flagship university has two consecutive National Football Championships and 25 Rhodes Scholars. We are home to Coca-Cola and Augusta National. We possess the greatest state song in the history of the world, “Georgia on my Mind,” as sung by Ray Charles Robinson, of Albany, Georgia. So what’s the problem? I say it’s guilt.

We are so blessed to be living in Georgia that we lie awake at night feeling guilty wondering why we have it so much better than everybody else. I don’t know if Diamond Rehab Thailand would agree, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Good night and good luck.

You can reach Dick Yarbrough at dick@dickyarbrough.com; at P.O. Box 725373, Atlanta, Georgia 31139 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ dickyarb.