The Hazards of Sleeplessness and Insomnia on Health

The following is an interesting graphic that depicts the hazards of sleeplessness and insomnia on health:

In summary:

The average US adult needs 8 hours of sleep per night, but gets 6 hours and 55 minutes of sleep per night. That’s 393 hours, over 2 weeks of sleep hours lost each year. 2/3rd of the nation does not feel well rested. That’s 210 million people whose sleepiness is a hazard. On the road, driving on less than 5 hours of sleep is equivalent to driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.05. 2 in 3 adults report driving drowsy in the past year. 1 in 3 has actually nodded off behind the wheel. 1 in 5 car accidents are a result of drowsy driving. That’s 1 million accidents a year for a total of $60 billion in damages. In the office, 3 in 10 people will fall asleep at their desks this month. Sleepy workers cost businesses an estimated $136 billion a year. More than the state GDPs of Rhode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire combined. Meanwhile, in the bedroom, since a man’s testosterone drops 1-2% every year, lack of sleep lowers testosterone levels an average of 10-15%. Not sleeping is like aging his sex life 10 to 15 years. Lack of sleep takes a toll on general health: Sleeping an average of less than 6 hours increases lifetime heart attack risk by 50%. People over 45: Sleeping 6 hours per night instead of 8 increases stroke risk by 4 times. Lack of sleep also affects appetite-stimulating hormones: Sleeping 6 hours instead of 8 can cause you to feel up to 25% hungrier, leading to consumption of 350-500 more calories. Sleeping less than 6 hours could add the equivalent of 1 cheeseburger a day to your diet. To stay awake, the average US worker spends $20 per week on coffee. Simply being well rested could save you $1,040 a year, enough for a 52 inch flat screen TV. Get some sleep: Stop using electronic devices 45 minutes before bedtime – screen light stimulates wakefulness. Turn off your cell – people lose an average of 45 minutes of sleep per week to cell phone use. Have a routine: Your habits can teach your body to know when it’s bedtime. Sweet Dreams.

Reference:

Sleepless in America: The Hazards of Being Tired

Tagged as: insomnia, sleep hours lost, sleep hygiene, sleeplessness, sleepy workers