CDC study shows over one-third of US adults aren’t getting enough of sleep

In spite of back-to-back recommendations for adults to take proper sleep of at least seven hours every night, a latest study has shown that over one-third of people in the US aren’t getting enough of sleep. It has revealed the states across the country that are most sleep deprived.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study evaluated data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to find out whether adults have been getting sufficient sleep or not. The respondents of the survey involved 444,306 people in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Researchers have discovered that over one-third of the adults reported sleeping less than seven hours per day.

According to the study, lack of sleep is linked to higher risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, mental illness and other chronic problems. The CDC has even called insufficient sleep a public health issue.

As per the Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, which are sleep-related professional associations, adults of age group 18 to 60 years must sleep at least seven hours per night.

Study author Anne Wheaton, PhD, an epidemiologist at the CDC, said that people haven’t been placing sleep on number one position in their priority list. Wheaton added, “They know they should eat right, exercise, quit smoking, but sleep just isn't at top of their board. And maybe they aren't aware of impact sleep can have on health. It doesn't just make you sleepy, but can affect your health and safety”.

The study findings have pointed towards the need of making public aware and educate them about sleep health and workplace policies to ensure healthy amounts of sleep for shift workers. Health care providers must also talk about the importance of healthy sleep duration with patients and try to know why they aren’t taking proper sleep.