Sleep Facts:

Adequate sleep is important to our overall health, safety, and performance.

  Sleep is not merely "down time" when the brain shuts off and the body rests. If you feel that you regularly have problems breathing during sleep, wake up unrefreshed after a full night's sleep, or frequently feel very sleepy during the day, you should see your doctor to find out if you could have a sleep disorder.

A lack of good quality sleep can rob you in more ways than you may imagine! A chronic lack of sleep or an untreated sleep disorder can impair health. Like good nutrition and physical activity, adequate sleep is critical for continued good health. A National Sleep Foundation (NSF) poll found that those with sleep disturbances are three times more likely to miss work than those who get a good night's rest.

Studies show an increased mortality risk for those reporting less than either six or seven hours per night. One study found that reduced sleep time is a greater mortality risk than smoking, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Poor sleep strains the body, exacerbating a host of serious and costly medical problems such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. In fact, insomniacs are hospitalized twice as often as those who sleep well. Patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea perform as poorly as drunk drivers and have up to a 15-fold increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.

Sleep debt, in other words, can damage your finances as badly as any other kind of debt--running up your medical bills and running down your health, potentially costing you a promotion and maybe even your job. If you're among the 47 million Americans who are sleep deprived, SLEEPWELL Diagnostic and Treatment Center and your physician can help you eliminate your sleep debt and take control of your life.