Sleep Disorders Increase Risk of Depression, Obesity, Even Car Crash Injuries
It is estimated that 50 to 70 million Americans chronically suffer from a disorder of sleep and wakefulness, hindering daily functioning and adversely affecting health and longevity. The cumulative long-term effects of sleep loss and sleep disorders have been associated with a wide range of deleterious health consequences including an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke.
This estimate of the prevalence of sleep disorders in the United States appears in a new report from the Institute of Medicine titled Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the report’s authors estimate that sleep disorders cost hundreds of billions of dollars a year spent on direct medical costs associated with doctor visits, hospital services, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications. And almost 20 percent of all serious car crash injuries in the general population are associated with driver sleepiness, independent of alcohol effects.
“Unfortunately, sleep disorders and sleep deprivation…[are]…underappreciated by the public, the health professions and medical researchers,” said Dr. Harvey Colten, chairman of the panel that prepared the report and a former senior associate dean for health sciences at Columbia University.
We reported last year (“Sleep and the Treatment of Depression”) on two recent studies concerning sleep and the treatment of depression.
One Response to “Sleep Disorders Increase Risk of Depression, Obesity, Even Car Crash Injuries”
The comment form is currently closed.
Does this mean illnesses involving sleep; or just feeling tired through lack of sleep?
Obviously drivers who are too tired do fall asleep occasionally with fatal consequences; but are the hundreds of billions of dollars spend on pathologies which include sleeplessness?
Interesting, if so. Especially if these contribute to reduced longevity – my own particular interest.
Cheers
Malc