More threads by David Baxter PhD

David Baxter PhD

Late Founder
America: Land of the Sleep-Starved
July 17, 2005
By Karen Pallarito, HealthDay Reporter

Effective therapies exist to treat insomnia, experts say

SUNDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Millions of Americans are getting fewer than the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep they need each night, causing irritable behavior, concentration problems and daytime drowsiness.

In fact, a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation found 54 percent of Americans experience at least one symptom of insomnia a few nights a week or more. More than a third of the 1,500 adults surveyed said they wake up feeling unrefreshed. Thirty-two percent reported waking up a lot during the night.

What's causing the nation to lose so much sleep?

"The simple answer is, it's physiological," said Dr. William C. Dement, professor of psychiatry and sleep medicine at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., and director of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic.

People's sleep-deprived condition is mostly voluntary and imposed by the environment, he explained. In other words, people are staying up too late doing things they like to do and working incredible hours to meet the demands of necessities like school or work.

Beyond causing sluggishness during the day, insufficient sleep can have serious health and safety consequences, the sleep foundation poll indicates. One in four is at risk for sleep apnea, a disorder associated with hypertension and stroke, the poll found. Sixty percent of adults licensed to drive reported feeling drowsy over the past year, and 4 percent have had an accident or near-miss on the road because of drowsiness behind the wheel.

"Yes, the statistics are stunning and getting worse," agreed Dement, who has lobbied Congress to establish a sleep education institute whose focus would be to create a "sleep-aware" society. People are largely unaware of their individual sleep requirements and the toll that lack of sleep exacts on their lives, he explained.

But could reports of a sleepless America be overblown?

"I'm not sure we are so sleepy," said Michael Perlis, associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Rochester in New York, and director of the university's Sleep Research Laboratory and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Service. "This is bandied around a lot in the absence of good data," he asserted.

Occasional bouts of acute insomnia actually can be a blessing, Perlis insisted, particularly for people who have a ton of stuff to do. "Don't sweat it; it's a gift of time," he said.

It's when sleeplessness becomes chronic that it becomes a curse, he added. Anyone who experiences insomnia three or more days a week for more than two to four weeks should see his or her doctor. Not only can it be a problem in itself, but it also can be a risk factor for other illnesses.

"If you have chronic insomnia, you are at between three and 12 times increased risk of new onset or recurrent depression," Perlis added.

Fortunately, there are some very good and safe sleep aids available. One of them, Sepracor Inc.'s Lunesta, is the first on the market without a seven- to 10-day use restriction, meaning physicians may prescribe it for longer-term use. The only immediate problem with Lunesta is that it was cleared by the FDA for marketing early this year and may not yet be available throughout the United States.

Cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia, a type of intervention that teaches patients to modify their sleep behavior, also works extremely well, studies show. At the moment, only a handful of sleep centers have trained specialists who can offer this service, but the American Academy of Sleep Medicine is working hard to get more clinicians certified, Perlis noted.

In the meantime, if you're having difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep, Perlis has this advice:
  • Don't go to bed earlier, don't sleep in and don't nap. While it might sound counterintuitive, the goal is to reestablish a normal sleeping pattern. Think of it this way: if you snack all day before a banquet, you're not going to be hungry when dinner arrives. If you nap, you won't be sleepy at bedtime.
  • Don't drink yourself to sleep. People who use alcohol as a sedative often find themselves waking up at 3 or 4 a.m. It's not an effective sleep aid.
  • When you can't sleep, leave the bedroom. Spend your wakeful time somewhere. You don't want your body to automatically associate the bedroom with feelings of dread and anxiety that come with insomnia.
    [/list:u] More information
    The National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org) can tell you more about insomnia.
 

David Baxter PhD

Late Founder
America: Land of the Sleep-Starved
July 17, 2005
By Karen Pallarito, HealthDay Reporter

Effective therapies exist to treat insomnia, experts say

SUNDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Millions of Americans are getting fewer than the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep they need each night, causing irritable behavior, concentration problems and daytime drowsiness.

In fact, a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation found 54 percent of Americans experience at least one symptom of insomnia a few nights a week or more. More than a third of the 1,500 adults surveyed said they wake up feeling unrefreshed. Thirty-two percent reported waking up a lot during the night.

What's causing the nation to lose so much sleep?

"The simple answer is, it's physiological," said Dr. William C. Dement, professor of psychiatry and sleep medicine at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., and director of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic.

People's sleep-deprived condition is mostly voluntary and imposed by the environment, he explained. In other words, people are staying up too late doing things they like to do and working incredible hours to meet the demands of necessities like school or work.

Beyond causing sluggishness during the day, insufficient sleep can have serious health and safety consequences, the sleep foundation poll indicates. One in four is at risk for sleep apnea, a disorder associated with hypertension and stroke, the poll found. Sixty percent of adults licensed to drive reported feeling drowsy over the past year, and 4 percent have had an accident or near-miss on the road because of drowsiness behind the wheel.

"Yes, the statistics are stunning and getting worse," agreed Dement, who has lobbied Congress to establish a sleep education institute whose focus would be to create a "sleep-aware" society. People are largely unaware of their individual sleep requirements and the toll that lack of sleep exacts on their lives, he explained.

But could reports of a sleepless America be overblown?

"I'm not sure we are so sleepy," said Michael Perlis, associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Rochester in New York, and director of the university's Sleep Research Laboratory and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Service. "This is bandied around a lot in the absence of good data," he asserted.

Occasional bouts of acute insomnia actually can be a blessing, Perlis insisted, particularly for people who have a ton of stuff to do. "Don't sweat it; it's a gift of time," he said.

It's when sleeplessness becomes chronic that it becomes a curse, he added. Anyone who experiences insomnia three or more days a week for more than two to four weeks should see his or her doctor. Not only can it be a problem in itself, but it also can be a risk factor for other illnesses.

"If you have chronic insomnia, you are at between three and 12 times increased risk of new onset or recurrent depression," Perlis added.

Fortunately, there are some very good and safe sleep aids available. One of them, Sepracor Inc.'s Lunesta, is the first on the market without a seven- to 10-day use restriction, meaning physicians may prescribe it for longer-term use. The only immediate problem with Lunesta is that it was cleared by the FDA for marketing early this year and may not yet be available throughout the United States.

Cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia, a type of intervention that teaches patients to modify their sleep behavior, also works extremely well, studies show. At the moment, only a handful of sleep centers have trained specialists who can offer this service, but the American Academy of Sleep Medicine is working hard to get more clinicians certified, Perlis noted.

In the meantime, if you're having difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep, Perlis has this advice:
  • Don't go to bed earlier, don't sleep in and don't nap. While it might sound counterintuitive, the goal is to reestablish a normal sleeping pattern. Think of it this way: if you snack all day before a banquet, you're not going to be hungry when dinner arrives. If you nap, you won't be sleepy at bedtime.
  • Don't drink yourself to sleep. People who use alcohol as a sedative often find themselves waking up at 3 or 4 a.m. It's not an effective sleep aid.
  • When you can't sleep, leave the bedroom. Spend your wakeful time somewhere. You don't want your body to automatically associate the bedroom with feelings of dread and anxiety that come with insomnia.
    [/list:u] More information
    The National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org) can tell you more about insomnia.
 

ThatLady

Member
Something needs to be done about companies expecting, as a matter of course, 60+ hour work-weeks. People need leisure time. They need a chance to have a bit of fun, and time to digest what they learn and who they're becoming. If you're working non-stop, you aren't getting that time. Productivity on the job WILL suffer, but the corporate greed and the corporate tendency to look only at immediate returns fogs their vision.
 

ThatLady

Member
Something needs to be done about companies expecting, as a matter of course, 60+ hour work-weeks. People need leisure time. They need a chance to have a bit of fun, and time to digest what they learn and who they're becoming. If you're working non-stop, you aren't getting that time. Productivity on the job WILL suffer, but the corporate greed and the corporate tendency to look only at immediate returns fogs their vision.
 

stargazer

Member
I remember once accepting a position as a musical director of a summer stock theatre, and when my schedule was issued, I commented to the managing director that it didn't allow me to get eight hours' sleep on any given night. His reply was that the expectation of eight hours of sleep was unrealistic. I still remember this, and am afraid the notion is widespread. If I had my way, I'd get nine or ten hours. I'm a great believer in the power of sleep. For me, insufficient sleep results in poor concentration and a reduced ability to handle stress. I'm much more relaxed when I've slept sufficiently, and much more productive as well. It's too bad a lot of employers don't recognize this!
 

Banned

Banned
Member
I have had sleep problems for a very long time. I can't remember ever being able to make it through a night without waking up. I currently take sleeping pills (but only on Sunday nights). Anyway, a couple weeks ago I stopped setting my alarm and decided I would get up and go to work whenever I woke up. I've noticed a huge difference in my moods, my alertness, etc. I hate going in later because it means working later, but it's made such a fantastic difference for me. Farewell Mr. Alarm Clock!
 

stargazer

Member
I would guess that's a healthy approach. As a private music teacher, I don't usually work until afterschool hours, so I also enjoy the luxury of living without an alarm clock. Still, I tend to feel a vague need to get up when I wake up. It takes me some discipline to roll over and allow myself an extra hour or two, but when I do, I rarely regret it.
 
I have had trouble sleep since I was in the fourth grade...there have been many reasons for my sleep problems, but I can definitly say how much sleep can effect a person's mood, ability to cope, and ability to face challenges...I also agree with BG even if i get up at like seven (which is early for me being 18) I feel much better getting up at seven w/out an alarm clock...I guess that is because I am listening to my own bodies clock instead of an alarm clock...one thing that has helped to get me going in the morning is placing my alarm clock at a place in my room where I have to physically get out of bed to turn it off and if you're like me that annoying beeping will get me out of bed any day....although techniquely a neccessity, sleep seems to be more of a luxury in my life :roll:
 

David Baxter PhD

Late Founder
if you're like me that annoying beeping will get me out of bed any day

Yeah... I used to wish that just once that poor Wiley Coyote would catch that annoying RoadRunner. :eek:

I also wished Sylvester could just get one crack at Tweety Bird... what a snitch that Tweety was :eek:
 
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