Learn More about Sleep Disorders to Improve Your Sleep IQ
Facts and stats about sleep disorders
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently classified insufficient sleep as a public health epidemic.
75 percent of American adults experience a sleep problem a few nights a week or more, 40 percent get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than one in three (37 percent) are so tired all the time that it interferes with daily activities.*
Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health and safety.
The body rests during sleep, however, the brain remains active and still controls many body functions including breathing. Sleep occurs in two sleep states, REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM, in 90-minute cycles.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder experienced by over 54 percent of Americans.*
Snoring can be a symptom of a life-threatening sleep disorder called sleep apnea, a condition that causes awakening during the night and gasping for breath. The resulting reduced blood oxygen levels strain the heart and cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Narcolepsy affects both women and men, typically developing in adolescence or early adulthood. The root cause of this disorder is unknown, with limited hereditary features. It is possible that genetic and environmental factors combined may be connected to its onset.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) also affects children. A study of more than 10,000 families in the U.S. and U.K. found that up to 2 percent of children are affected and that more than 70 percent of those children had at least one affected parent. Other studies indicated that RLS is connected to a risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a greater risk for more severe ADHD. According to the National Sleep Foundation, RLS also affects approximately 10 percent of adults in the US.
