The Herald article, "You really should get more sleep — for your health" came out following a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that says lack of sleep has reached epidemic levels in America and is linked to hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity, cancer and a reduced quality of life. The article includes information from The Everett Clinic's North Puget Sound Center for Sleep Disorders, ilikesleep.com, and an interview with clinical director Rick Swanson.
From the article:
Rick Swanson, clinical director of North Puget Sound Center for Sleep Disorders in Everett said apnea is the best known sleep problem among Americans. More than 80 conditions can be diagnosed in a sleep study, he said. Yes, about 80 percent of people have the apnea problem, where they literally stop breathing in their sleep. But not all those who snore have apnea and not all those with apnea snore.
“Any disorder that disrupts sleep, and rapid-eye-movement sleep in particular, harms your brain and your body,” Swanson said. “Sleep is supposed to be the time when the mind and body regenerate and recharge. If you are not getting good sleep, likely you can't think as fast and you probably wake up with a headache."
What scares Swanson about this health problem is that drowsy drivers are just as bad, if not worse than drunk drivers.“Every 10th car on the freeway has an impaired driver,” Swanson said. “Yes, some are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or they are sending text messages, but many are simply too tired to drive.”
People who are older than 45 and overweight especially need to pay attention, Swanson said.
“It seems like common sense, but lots of people of a certain age won't admit to their tiredness,” he said. “If your family says you have a problem, see a sleep specialist, get diagnosed and get treated."
When a person's oxygen level drops at night because of poor sleep, the person's heart is working just as hard as it does during the day, he said. “And high blood pressure takes years off a person's life.”
In addition, Swanson doesn't buy the idea that you can sleep in on the weekends to make up for poor sleep during the work week. “On the weekends you stay up later. You might sleep in, but you still aren't getting a full night's sleep.”