Losing sleep over money problems? You're not alone

Despite reports that the U.S. economy is recovering, a new study suggests that nearly two-thirds of Americans are losing sleep over financial problems.

According to the survey of 1,000 adults in the continental U.S., conducted for CreditCards.com, the 62 percent of respondents sitting up at night and thinking about their money problems is actually down from the 69 percent recorded in 2009 -- as the Great Recession deepened. But we're still a far way from the 56 percent figure noted in prerecession 2007.

The most common money-related issue keeping people up at night is the concern about having enough savings for retirement, followed by worries over educational expenses and then health care and health insurance bills.

"The biggest change over the past eight years has been the steady increase in the number of people losing sleep over educational expenses," Matt Schulz, CreditCards.com's senior industry analyst, said in a statement.

"That's the only one of the five categories that has gotten worse since the Great Recession," he added. "Unless something slows the rapid rise in college costs, this could soon be Americans' biggest financial fear."

Not surprisingly, age and affluence appear to be a factor in the survey results. Less than half of older respondents, ages 65 and above, said they were losing any sleep over at least one of these financial problems compared to 67 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 64.

And 51 percent of people with annual household incomes of $75,000 or more reported losing sleep over money issues, compared to 69 percent of those with an annual household income below $75,000.