News
Sleep: Are You Getting Enough?
That collective yawn that can be heard around the country every morning is a symptom of what most of us already know: We need more sleep! But why is it so important?
True or false?
*The elderly don't need as much sleep as younger people.
*Bleary-eyed drivers can stay awake better by cranking up the car stereo and rolling down the windows.
*Nighttime shift workers eventually readjust to their late hours.
*Boredom makes you tired.
They're all false. But if you got them wrong, you're not alone. A telephone survey of 1,027 people conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that 85% failed a simple 12-question quiz on sleep. Not only did they "flunk the exam," but two-thirds of those polled also reported sleeping difficulties.
"It's astounding that you can go through your whole education learning about proper nutrition and hygiene but not getting adequate sleep, said Thomas Roth, PhD, Health and Scientific Advisor of the National Sleep Foundation as well as director of the Sleep Disorders Research Center at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. "Only once did my children get taught about sleep in school. It was the night before a state exam, and the children were told to get a good night's sleep in preparation. That's it."
"Most of us need eight hours of sound sleep to function at our best, and good health demands good sleep," explained Roth. The problem: Americans are averaging only about seven hours of sleep a night. One in three gets only six hours a night. "People have no idea how important sleep is to their lives," he stated.
The Function of Sleep
Why IS sleep so critical to our well-being? If resting in bed were all it took to recharge body and mind for the coming day, insomniacs could take in their favorite late night television and start the next day fresh. But surprisingly, it's not how much sleep you get that's important—it's the level of sleep you achieve that truly restores you, body and mind.
Sleep can be divided into two crucial phases:
* Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep takes up 80% of the average dreamer's night. The earliest phase of NREM sleep begins with general relaxation of muscles. This relaxed state eventually culminates in the deepest sleep level when it appears that protein synthesis, growth hormones, immune function, and the mind are given a boost. Delta waves—the slowest and largest waves—signal the onset of this most rejuvenating sleep level, which constitutes 50% of an adult's sleep time.
* Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep takes up about 25% of an average sleeper's night. Dreams that occur during REM sleep might provide, in a sense, a sorting through of free-floating information. Prolonged REM deprivation has been linked to excessively anxious or emotional behavior that dissipates once more regular sleeping habits are achieved. REM sleep is thought to be the most important period for mental revitalization.
Risky Consequences From Sleeplessness
According to the National Sleep Foundation, an estimated $35 billion is lost yearly in productivity, sick leave, medical expenses, and property and environmental damage because of sleep deprivation and untreated sleep disorders. It's more than a simple matter of dragging yourself through the day. On-the-job dozing can dearly cost the sleep-deprived worker and those around him. For example, the environmentally disastrous 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska reportedly involved the sleepiness of the tanker's third-mate.
The problem also hits much closer to home. Driver fatigue has been identified as the greatest accident risk factor affecting motor carriers. Furthermore, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more than 100,000 crashes per year are caused by drivers nodding off behind the wheel and that thousands die as the result of such accidents.
The National Sleep Foundation's poll even found that 23% of those questioned had dozed off while driving some time in the past year. It would seem that people know not to drive drunk but not to refrain from driving tired. Rolled-down windows, the car's blaring stereo, and a strong cup of Joe is not going to restore all the alertness necessary for safe driving. If your eyes are closing on you, the only surefire way to save your life as well as others is to pull over to the side of the road and give in to sleep.
In addition to productivity and safety consequences, research shows that people who are chronically sleep deprived may also be more likely to suffer from:
* Depression
* Cardiovascular disease (e.g., coronary heart disease, stroke, heart attack, hypertension)
* Decreased enjoyment in life
* Poor work performance, leading to increased absenteeism and decreased number of promotions