A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention details the sleeping habits of Americans, as described by their sample of 74,571 adults in 12 states. The findings indicate that 35.3% of adults surveyed reported getting fewer than seven hours of sleep during an average period of 24-hours. This report is the first of its kind to present estimates of the prevalence of un-healthy sleeping patterns, based on responses added to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2009.
Editorial notes in the report argue that the pervasiveness of un-healthy sleeping patterns is in part due to broad societal changes, including an increase in technology use and shift work, an employment practice designed to make use of the entire 24-hour day rather than traditional working hours. They also indicate that many healthcare professionals may have limited training and knowledge on sleeping disorders, impeding their ability to properly diagnose and treat such cases.
Sleep deprivation has wide-ranging effects on the health of cardiovascular and neurological systems. These health concerns include elevated risks of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity. However, other studies have found that lack of sleep can also have effects on memory.
Previous studies, including work by Dr. Van Cauter, Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago found that physiological changes associated with significant lack of sleep can imitate many characteristics of ageing. Studies explain that chronic sleep deprivation can increase the severity of age-related ailments such as a reduced capacity to learn and increased memory loss.
The findings by the Centers for Disease Control come at a crucial time, as technology adoption is at an all time high and economic decline forces more Americans to work longer hours. Promoting sleep health will require a significant increase in public awareness and on the risk factors associated with insomnia and other disorders. As preventative health becomes a priority of the national healthcare reform, it is our hope that physicians will be equipped with the proper tools and training to combat the prevalence of this trend.
