Time for Action on America’s Sleep Crisis

By David Beier & Andrew Sullivan

Sleep deprivation is killing us.

More than one third of American adults report they get fewer than the 7 hours of sleep the Centers for Disease Control calls for. This qualifies sleep deprivation as a public health epidemic, according to CDC, citing its impact on obesity, depression, diabetes, heart disease, reduced immunity and maybe even Alzheimer’s Disease.

A dire picture, yes, but the implications reach beyond health. By reducing worker productivity, sleep deprivation acts as a drag on the U.S. economy. One estimate suggests sleep deprivation will cost our economy between $299 and $433 B in 2020.

Most troubling of all, however, is that we have no holistic plan to address this epidemic. A recent FDA safety announcement on the risks associated with sleepwalking — 26 years in the making — exemplifies the fragmented approach. Meanwhile, tens of millions of sleep-deprived Americans are turning to snake oil solutions like magic blankets, sleep-inducing lights and personalized temperature and airflow systems. Emerging evidence suggests some these over-the-counter products can be associated with adverse health outcomes like dementia. And yet we’re not taking the steps we need to take to address this health crisis.