Invited Commentary: How Much Do We Really Sleep?

摘要

The beneficial effects of sleep have been recognized for over two thousand years, as documented by ancient Greek playwrights. However, until recently, this information has been overlooked by modern medicine and society. Spurred by the initial description of sleep apnea (1), interest and knowledge related to sleep medicine and sleep science have grown exponentially (2). Sleep disorders are highly prevalent in the general populace. It is estimated that 30-45 percent of Americans have a sleep complaint at any one time and that 10-15 percent suffer from chronic insomnia (2). The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in middle-aged women and men is 2 percent and 4 percent, respectively (3). Strong epidemiologic evidence now implicates obstructive sleep apnea as an independent risk factor for the development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (4,5). Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to glucose intolerance, obesity, and increased mortality (6-8)