Insomnia and Sleep Deprivation

Many Americans are chronically sleep-deprived; up to eighty percent of adults, by some estimates. Much of this deprivation can be attributed to ever-more frantic lifestyles, but a significant portion also comes from poor sleep habits. Some have found relief through sleep inducing drugs as well as herbal remedies.  However and comfort related products like memory foam mattresses as well as good sleep habits such as relaxing before bed with a book rather than watching TV can dramatically improve quality of sleep.

Lack of sleep can make us feel drowsy during the day, we may become irritable, depressed and lack motivation, but there are other, more serious risks. Sleep deprivation can make everyday activities like driving more dangerous, and has the potential to impact every facet of our lives.   That is why millions of Americans are seeking way's to improve the quality of their sleep, and ultimately the quality of their daily lives.

Sleep is essential to life. In some laboratory studies, rats who were denied REM stage sleep lived only a few weeks, from a normal lifespan of several years. Clinical studies have also shown repeatedly that for drivers, fatigue can be as dangerous as intoxication. More than 100,000 accidents per year can be attributed to fatigue, and many of those drivers may not even have realized how tired they were.

While the need for sleep varies greatly for each individual, most adults require between seven and eight hours of sleep per night. Some may need as few as five hours, while others may require as many as ten hours per night. Contrary to what many believe, the body does not "adapt" to less sleep, but rather, lost sleep contributes to what scientists call our "sleep debt". If we miss one hour of sleep every night for several days, eventually our bodies will demand repayment. Many people find time on the weekends for these extra hours of sleep, but this constant cycle of depletion and renewal takes its toll.

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