Everybody needs to sleep! Studies have shown the correlation between a good night's sleep and proficiency at work and/or school, overall physical and mental health, even weight loss. Yet the problem of trying to fall asleep quickly and naturally continues to increase across all demographic boundaries - age, gender, ethnicity, income, education, marital status, etc.
So what's the big deal about sleep deprivation?
- Lack of sleep may contribute to illness, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes
- Lack of sleep has been linked to weight gain and inability to lose weight
- People with insomnia are 4 times as likely to suffer from depression
- After a poor night's sleep, many people accomplish fewer daily tasks and enjoy activities less
- Sleep deprivation affects concentration, memory, and logical reasoning
- Safety on the job, at home, and on the road may be affected by sleepiness
- NHTSA estimates that drowsy driving accounts for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,500 fatalities every year
- Cost of daytime sleepiness and sleep disorders to the national economy is an estimated $100 billion annually
The National Institute of Health reports that up to 48% of Americans suffer from insomnia at some point, and 25% of Americans take some type of medication to help them sleep. Insomnia is common among 74% of stay-at-home moms, 72% of working moms, and 68% of single, working women. And sleep problems only increase as we age: 33% of women aged 18-24 report sleeping problems, as compared with 48% of women aged 55-64.
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