Final answer:
Americans accumulate an average of 18 minutes of sleep debt per day, a consequence of lifestyle changes and extended activities into the night prompted by electric lighting. Sleep needs vary by age and individual factors, with college students particularly prone to sleep debt.
Step-by-step explanation:
On average, Americans incur 18 minutes of sleep debt per day. Sleep debt is a cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, leading to decreased alertness and mental efficiency. With the advent of electric light, our sleep patterns have changed as we stay active later into the night.
Despite this, college students often experience significant sleep debt, and updated recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation recognize individual differences in sleep needs. A study with teenagers and adults showed a mean of 8.9 hours of sleep for teenagers and only 6.9 hours for adults, stressing that sleep duration decreases with age.