Washington, November 2 (ANI): Insomnia and sleep apnoea are causing individuals to be less productive at work and also leading to some serious accidents, it has been claimed.
When you feel tired and indisposed, your performance at work suffers, says Borge Sivertsen, professor at UiB's Department of Clinical Psychology and senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Sleep apnoea is a more severe problem, affecting four to five percent of the population. Sufferers can stop breathing for up to 40 seconds several times during the night, putting a huge strain on the heart. As a result, they have many micro-awakenings that stop them from reaching deep sleep.
According to the sleep scientist, a recently-published study from the United States puts the annual losses from insomnia alone at 63.2 billion US dollars annually. Only a third of this was due to actual absence from work; two thirds was due to a loss in productivity while at work.
An Australian study found that about two percent of Australia's GDP is lost due to sick leave caused by insomnia and sleep apnea disorder. This shows how common these diseases are and how much they affect work, Sivertsen says.
In their own ways, each sleep disorder also has a strong impact on accident statistics. For example, lorry drivers have sedentary jobs, and this increases the risk of developing obesity and sleep apnoea.
According to Sivertsen, the disease is a major cause of the many traffic accidents on American roads.
As for insomnia, drug use can cause problems. Sivertsen's studies show that sedatives can cause users to feel less rested during the daytime.
Sleep medication may work in the short term, but after six weeks of use we noticed a decrease in deep sleep. Sleep may be uninterrupted, but you may not necessarily get quality sleep, he says.
Sleep disorder sufferers are often major health care users, which leads to an increase in social costs. (ANI)
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