By Jennifer Huget
New data released by the CDC to coincide with National Sleep Awareness Week -- which begins today -- paint a less-than-ideal picture of Americans' relationship with sleep. More than 35 percent of nearly 74,571 people surveyed in 2009 reported getting less than 7 hours' sleep a night. (We're supposed to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily; children need 10 or 11 hours.) Almost 38 percent admitted to having unintentionally dozed off during the daytime during the 30 days before the survey. Worse yet: Nearly 5 percent of those surveyed had done so while driving.Though the specific number of hours of sleep we need varies from person to person, getting less than we should can contribute to all manner of health ills:
Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions -- such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression -- which threaten our nation's health. Notably, insufficient sleep is associated with the onset of these diseases and also poses important implications for their management and outcome. Moreover, insufficient sleep is responsible for motor vehicle and machinery-related crashes, causing substantial injury and disability each year. In short, drowsy driving can be as dangerous -- and preventable -- as driving while intoxicated.
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