Health Insurance Daily

Sleep Deprivation Brings Lower Productivity, Higher Health Care Costs

Sleep deprivation increases people's risk of serious health problems and costs U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year in lost productivity, medical costs and other expenses, according to a new report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The report also finds that 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders that adversely affect daily functioning, health and longevity.
The study, Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprevation: An Unmet Public Health Problem, confirms links between sleep deprivation and a wide range of health consequences, such as "an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and stroke." Despite such huge societal consequences and costs, the IOM finds that the cumulative effects of sleep loss and sleep disorders are "under-recognized" and "awareness among the general public and health care professionals is low given the magnitude of the burden." The same could be said about employers, who bear the brunt of lower productivity and higher health care costs.

To read this article in its entirety click on SHRM.

posted by Mike @ 9:30 PM