In the busy world today, sleep seems to be a luxury. Many pride themselves that they only get less than 7 hours of sleep every day because they are so busy. It is as if sleep itself is a hindrance to progress. Yet, the truth could not be any further. Although the science is still under development, one thing is certain: To humans, sleep is an essential biological process. Some people need 7 to 9 hours of sleep, while some feel refreshed if they get at least 6 hours. Regardless of the sleep needs, despite the established importance of sleep, statistics on sleep deprivation show that many still do not get enough of it. Both acute and chronic sleep deprivation can have severe health consequences, such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, and performance consequences, such as making mistakes at work.
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In the US:
(AllOneHealth), (CDC), (American Sleep Association), (World Economic Forum), (Brian Tefft), (ChildrenMD)
Short sleep duration varies among age groups. Statistics show that the prevalences are as follows:
Age Group (Years) | Prevalence of Short Sleep Duration (%) |
---|---|
18 to 24 | 32.2 |
25 to 34 | 37.9 |
35 to 44 | 38.3 |
45 to 54 | 39.0 |
55 to 64 | 35.6 |
65 and older | 26.3 |
(CDC)
Ethnicity | Prevalence of Short Sleep Duration (%) |
---|---|
White | 33.4 |
Hispanic | 34.5 |
Asian | 37.5 |
American Indian/Alaska Native | 40.4 |
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 46.3 |
Other/Multiracial | 44.3 |
(CDC)
Health Risk | Prevalence of Short Sleep Duration (%), Prevalence in those who get at least 7 hours of sleep (%) |
---|---|
Obesity; 33.0; 26.5 | |
Physical inactivity; 27.2; 20.9 | |
Excessive alcohol consumption; 19.4;19.1 |
(CDC)
Chronic Disease | Prevalence of Short Sleep Duration (%), Prevalence in those who get at least 7 hours of sleep (%) |
---|---|
Heart Attack; 4.8; 3.4 | |
Coronary Heart Disease; 4.7; 3.4 | |
Asthma; 16.5;11.8 | |
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease); 8.6;4.7 | |
Cancer; 10.2;9.8 | |
Arthritis; 28.8;20.5 | |
Depression; 22.9;14.6 | |
Chronic Kidney Disease; 3.3;2.2 | |
Diabetes;11.1;8.6 |
(CDC)
Meanwhile, 9th graders are the least likely. Short sleep duration also varies with ethnicity among high school students. American Indian/Alaska Natives have the lowest prevalence while Asians have the highest.
(CDC)
Statistics on sleep deprivation indicate that if you fall asleep faster, then you may be sleep-deprived.
(Healthline)
(Medical News Today)
Some of the things that subjects report include:
(Flavie Waters, MD)
Some examples include:
(Flavie Water, MD)
Some examples include:
(Flavie Water, MD)
In 2013, this duration went down to 6.8 hours. By 2018, it further decreased to 6.3 hours per night. In 2019, US citizens would get an average of 5.5 hours of sleep. every night.
(Kusi News), (StudyFinds)
This makes Hawaii the most sleep-deprived US state. On the other hand, only about 38% of people in South Dakota are sleep-deprived, making it the most rested US state.
(CDC)
The average work life in Japan is notorious for its long working hours and commuting times that take away time from sleep.
(Nippon Communications Foundation)
In comparison, around 10.6% of Japanese women in their 40s say they get less than 5 hours of sleep per night, while 41.8% say they get between 5 and 6 hours of sleep.
(Nippon Communications Foundation)
However, statistics on sleep deprivation still show that more than 1/3 of New Zealanders are sleep-deprived.
(World Economic Forum), (Scoop)
It seems ethnicity also plays a role in sleep deprivation in New Zealand, but only up to a point. When researchers took into account socio-economic factors, the contribution of ethnicity to sleep deprivation became insignificant. Those living in deprived neighborhoods were also deprived of sleep.
(Dr. Sarah-Jane Paine), (Dr. Philippa H Gander)
Unfortunately, this preference is a result of fatigue and overwork, especially for those under 30 years of age.
(Southern Cross)
These disorders include insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome. The numbers 2 and 3 causes of sleep deprivation are old age and illnesses. Other factors include stress and changes in schedule.
(Columbia University)
Various statistics on sleep deprivation show that insomnia is present between 10 and 30% of the general population.
(Dr. Swapna Bhaskar)
For example, cardiovascular medications like anti-arrhythmics (for heart rhythm problems) and beta blockers (for high blood pressure) can disrupt sleep.
(Columbia University), (National Sleep Foundation)
These illnesses can also have symptoms that disrupt sleep. These illnesses include depression, schizophrenia, chronic pain syndrome, cancer, heart disease, stroke, Parkinson disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
(Columbia University)
Unsurprisingly, profession is also a leading cause of sleep deprivation. The field of healthcare is notorious for keeping its workers up. However, statistics on sleep deprivation show that many other professions can match the sleep deprivation in healthcare. Some of the leading sleep-deprived professions include protective services such as firefighting and law enforcement, food preparation, and production.
(Science Daily), (The Stacker)
Having a newborn is another cause of sleep deprivation. Newborns and infants can require the attention of their parents in the middle of the night. This situation is especially true when babies experience sleep regression.
(Healthline)
Traveling and shifting time zones are more leading causes of sleep deprivation. Pilots of the travel industry are among those who take the brunt of the consequences. Statistics on sleep deprivation also reveal that nearly 60% of pilots experience daytime sleepiness while more than 90% experience fatigue.
(Dr. Catia Reis)
Flight attendants are not safe from sleep deprivation. Many report getting less than 7 hours of sleep.26 Sleep deprivation is so common among flight attendants that the US Federal Aviation Administration has dubbed it “Flight Attendant Fatigue”.
(Huffington Post), (US FAA)
However, do not let this make you panic and start sleeping more than 9 hours per night. Studies also show that getting too much sleep is also unhealthy. Aim for that sweet-spot of 7 to 9 hours.
(Harvard Medical School), (Johns HOpkins Medicine)
Some reports show that drowsy driving is as dangerous, if not more, as drunk driving. For example, a drunk driver can still speed up, slow down, and react on the road. A drowsy driver can fall asleep while going fast and fail to brake or turn.
(CDC), (National Sleep Foundation)
The actual numbers may be larger. Some studies find that up to 6,000 fatal crashes are due to drowsy drivers.
The military is also notorious for its demanding hours. For example, around 39% of the US Navy and 42% of the US Marine Corp say they frequently do not get enough sleep to function well at work. Shifts can go for more than 24 hours. Nighttime disturbances are also common, especially when combatants are on high alert in the field.
(National Sleep Foundation)
The most common are sleep apnea and insomnia.
(National Sleep Foundation)
The study asked about 5,000 municipal and state police officers in the U.S. and Canada. Of the 40% many also had undiagnosed sleep disorders.
(Shantha M. W. Rajaratnam, PhD)
Moreover, 35% had a higher chance of having a citizen complaint filed against them.
(Shantha M. W. Rajaratnam, PhD)
This rate is 8 times higher than that of the general population.
(Shantha M. W. Rajaratnam, PhD)
These officers also have a 43% higher chance of making a serious administrative error.
(Shantha M. W. Rajaratnam, PhD)
These firefighters also suffer from sleep disorders. What is worse is that 80% are unaware they have these sleep disorders.
(Science Daily)
For teachers, the researchers also found that the sleep deprivation is due to professional responsibilities outside of the classroom. These responsibilities include grading, preparing lessons, etc. These teachers would go to bed between 11 PM and 12 MN and get up between 5 and 5:30 AM.
(Denise H. Amschler and James F. McKenzie)
These teachers scored 11 or greater on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, which indicates excessive daytime sleepiness. Sleepy teachers have a higher risk of giving inadequate supervision and instruction.
(Denise H. Amschler and James F. McKenzie)
Industry | PPrevalence of Sleep Deprivation |
---|---|
Management of Companies and Enterprises | 40.5 |
Transportation and Warehousing | 37.1 |
Public Administration | 33.5 |
Healthcare and Social Assistance | 31.2 |
Administrative Support, Waste Management, and Remediation Services | 30.6 |
Utilities | 30.6 |
Accommodation and Food Service | 30.4 |
Retail Trade | 30.1 |
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 29.9 |
Wholesale Trade | 30.1 |
Mining | 28.2 |
Construction | 28.1 |
Finance and Insurance | 28.0 |
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Service | 27.4 |
Real Estate, Rental, and Leasing | 27.2 |
Other Services, Except Public Administration | 26.9 |
Education Services | 26.7 |
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting | 23.1 |
(Sare E. Luckhaupt, MD)
These loses are due to tired or absent employees. Other economies that are severely affected by sleep deprivation are Japan, which loses $138 billion per year, and the UK, which loses $50 billion per year.
(Forbes)
In contrast, only around 15% of those who get enough sleep tend to make mistakes. The higher chances of committing mistakes in sleep-deprived people is a consequence of the symptoms of sleep deprivation. Such symptoms that affect performance include loss of focus, irritability, mood swings, forgetfulness, etc.
(Prescouter)
Sleep deprivation is not something you should boast about. It is a sign of imbalances in life. Countless studies have consistently shown how sleep deprivation can negatively affect health and quality of life. Whatever may be the reason of your sleep deprivation, be it a sleep disorder or work, you should address it as soon as possible.
References
AllOneHealth:
CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
American Sleep Association:
www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/sleep-statistics/
World Economic Forum:
Teft, 2018:
https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/41/10/zsy144/5067408
ChildrensMD:
Healthline:
https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/how-long-does-it-take-to-fall-asleep
Medical News Today:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/307334#symptoms
Waters et al., 2018:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6048360/
Kusi News:
https://www.kusi.com/studyfinds-that-americans-are-now-averaging-less-than-6-hours-of-sleep-per-night/
StudyFinds:
https://www.studyfinds.org/tired-nation-americans-now-averaging-less-than-6-hours-sleep-per-night/
CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html
Nippon Communications Foundation:
Scoop:
Paine and Gander, 2016:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28923252/
Southern Cross:
https://www.southerncross.co.nz/group/media-releases/2015/shocking-sleep-stats
Columbia University:
https://www.columbianeurology.org/neurology/staywell/document.php?id=42069
Bhaskar et al., 2016:
.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5353813/
Columbia University:
https://www.columbianeurology.org/neurology/staywell/document.php?id=42069
National Sleep Foundation:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-medications-may-affect-sleep
Science Daily:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080304075723.htm
The Stacker:
https://thestacker.com/stories/4313/these-are-most-sleep-deprived-professions?page=3
Healthline:
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/new-parent-sleep-study#This-too-shall-pass
Healthline:
https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/8-month-sleep-regression
Reis et al., 2016:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5021958/
Huffington Post:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-flight-attendants-deal-with-jet-lag_n_57195cbee4b0d0042da8c3c0
US FAA:
https://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/200721.pdf
Harvard Medical School:
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-and-disease-risk
Johns Hopkins Medicine:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/oversleeping-bad-for-your-health
CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdrowsydriving/index.html
National Sleep Foundation:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/drowsy-driving-vs-drunk-driving-how-similar-are-they
Rajaratnam et al., 2011:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1104746
ScienceDaily:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141113085220.htm
Amschler and McKenzie, 2009:
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ886320.pdf
Luckhaupt, et al., 2010:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2817902/
Forbes:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2016/12/01/report-sleep-deprivation-costs-the-u-s-economy-400-billion-every-year-infographic/#7afcccb21998
Prescouter:
https://www.prescouter.com/2018/02/sleep-deprivation-affects-work-performance/
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