Facts Everyone Should Know About Sleep and Sleep Disorders

These days we're sleepier than ever. Between work commitments, social commitments, and personal commitments, people are getting less sleep than ever! Doctor William Dement of Stanford University (1997) notes that "Fifty-five percent of drowsy driving fatalities occur under the age of 25." Of course, here Doctor Dement is speaking of the growing dangers of sleepy and fatigued students, but there is also a huge problem among the workforce of the world. Even Britain's ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) reports that "20 percent of accidents on monotonous roads, such as motorways, in Great Britain are fatigue related" (2008). Aside from accidents on the road, such major environmental incidents as the Exxon-Valdez spill and the Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident were caused by operator fatigue. With all this evidence it is impossible now to turn a blind eye to the sleeping problems plaguing individuals around the world. Why aren't we getting the amount or quality of sleep we really need? Why are so many people coming home only to nap?

One important fact about sleep is that you do acquire "sleep debt" when you don't sleep as long or as well as you should. We often hear people say they need to "catch up on their sleep." Well, indeed they do. While everyone has individual sleep needs, it is generally recommended that individuals obtain anywhere from seven to nine hours of sleep a night (National Sleep Foundation, 2007). When we don't get this sleep, we build up a debt of sleep that needs to be paid back. If this debt becomes to long not only will you be excessively tired and fatigued, you may also begin to experience health problems such as high blood pressure, moodiness, impairments in judgment, and weight issues (Sleep Foundation, 2007). Decreases in efficiency at work and in one's personal life can lead to serious consequences, as can impairments in judgment. Sleep deprivation is a serious problem, and enough of it can even cause hallucinations!