Insufficient Sleep Syndrome Getting enough sleep? By Lynn Keenan, MD, FAASM
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illions of people suffer from chronic sleep wake disorders that make them struggle to get through the day. Many others burn the candle at both ends to juggle work and family and play, but with the effect of electronic lights and lots of caffeine can keep pushing themselves through their busy days. But is this healthy, and how much sleep do we really need? A consensus statement in 2015 established adults should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Over the years, multiple studies have linked sleep restriction, or getting less than 7 hours sleep on a regular basis, to increased weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and death. In addition, studies have shown those who sleep less have poorer immune function. In a study by Dr. Aric Prather, subjects exposed to a cold virus were more likely to become sick if they didn’t sleep enough. Those sleep deprived before getting the flu vaccine will also show less of a protective response. It is very hard to lose weight if someone is getting less than 6 hours of sleep, and they will often
10 | Autumn 2021 | Daytime Sleepiness
In a study comparing men ages 19-35, one night of missed sleep led to as many off-road driving incidents as those with a blood alcohol level of 0.08%. start craving carbohydrates if sleep deprived. So perhaps, the growing obesity epidemic in many countries may be made worse by significant numbers who chronically get less than 7 hours of sleep. In addition to the personal effects on health of sleep restriction, sleepiness can have significant impact on society, with more motor vehicle accidents. In a study comparing men ages 19-35 in a driving simulator, one night of missed sleep led to as many offroad driving incidents as those with a blood alcohol level of 0.08%.
Job errors can also increase. Those with chronic sleep deprivation have a harder time updating their strategies as new information arrives, and may continue to keep trying a failed solution. They can become moodier, with worse communication skills, and professionalism can lapse. Despite the decline in judgment, those with sleep deprivation tend to markedly underestimate their fatigue and impact of the sleep deprivation on their function...so they may not actually realize how poor of a job they are doing.
