(They Just Don’t Get Enough of It!)

When you get less sleep than you need, how do you feel the next day?

"I never (or very seldom) get anything like enough sleep. This lack of sleep generally impacts my mood, my temper, my reactions to the environment and my productivity," says Ned Barnett of Las Vegas.

"I feel slow and occasionally crabby. My focus is not what it should be," adds Neal Linkon in Milwaukee. "I tend to hide out in my office working rather than interacting with colleagues as much as I should. I am an extrovert by nature, and when I feel fully rested, that shows in spades."

Ron Graham in Edmonton, Alberta, notes: "I tire more easily. I may be grumpier."

These are typical of the responses to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2002 Sleep in America poll, conducted by WB&A Market Research in October-December 2001 among a sample of 1,010 adults. The poll results clearly show that most people recognize the consequences of inadequate sleep.

"It’s clear from the poll results that the majority of American people 'get it,' referring to the scientifically well-documented association between sleep and waking behavior," said NSF President James K. Walsh, PhD, Executive Director and Senior Scientist at St. Luke’s Hospital’s Sleep Medicine & Research Center in Chesterfield, Mo. "They understand that there is a direct connection between the amount of sleep they obtain and how they feel, how they treat others, and how well they execute the daily activities of living."

A majority of those responding reported that it would be harder to do a number of routine tasks on days which follow nights of insufficient sleep. For example, when short on sleep most of those questioned recognized it would be more difficult to:

* read a report or business document for at least one hour before feeling sleepy (68%)

* take on additional tasks at the end of a regular work day (66%)

* make careful, thought-out decisions (62%)

* produce quality work to the best of your ability (61%)

* listen carefully so that you remember what is being said (62%)

* follow through on instructions you just received (52%)

"People recognize that the amount of sleep they get has an impact on their lives, and that their mood is affected as well as their ability to do physical tasks," said Walsh. A sizeable majority (88%) of those responding said they were more likely to experience at least one of the following:

* get impatient /aggravated when waiting in line, when traffic is backed up, or when others are late for an event or meeting (64%)

* get upset with children when they are noisy or misbehave (59%)

* make mistakes or errors (65%)

"The mood questions were the highlight of the poll," Walsh added. "They’re an important health story that we haven’t told before. Clearly, the American people realize there is a connection between mood, behavior, and a good night’s sleep." For example, people reporting frequent daytime sleepiness, are more likely to use words like "dissatisfied with life," "sad," "pessimistic," "tired," "prefer to be alone," "stressed" and "angry" to describe how they feel on a typical day. On the other hand, alert individuals use words such as "full of energy," "happy," "optimistic," "peaceful," "relaxed" and "satisfied with life."

However, the poll responses also indicate that many sleep problems are going undiagnosed and untreated, according to Meir H. Kryger, MD, Director of the St. Boniface Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, who is an NSF Board member. "The number of people who complain of symptoms that might indicate a sleep problem is noteworthy," he noted. "The responses suggest that a lot of the general population may have a sleep problem that has not been diagnosed." The poll shows that at least a few nights a week:

* 25% have difficulty falling asleep;

* 36% are awake a lot during the night;

* 25% wake up too early and could not get back to sleep; and

40% wake up unrefreshed.

All of these are symptoms of insomnia, which affects more than half of the adult population (58%) at least a few nights a week, according to the survey. Yet only 6% were told by a physician they have insomnia and only 57% of these people have been treated.

It is other symptoms that especially concern Kryger. "The proportion of people who snore (37% at least a few nights a week) is a substantial percentage of the adult population," he said. "The percentage who have pauses in breathing during sleep (10% at least a few nights a week) is also a big number. Both are markers for sleep apnea, which is a serious health problem."

However, only 4% of poll respondents said they have been told by a doctor they have sleep apnea and only 50% of these say they have been treated.

The responses also indicate that 16% have symptoms suggestive of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), however only 4% have been diagnosed with the disorder by a doctor, and only 27% of those saying they have RLS have been treated.

"I think an important message here is that many people who have symptoms of sleep problems are not being diagnosed or treated for them," he added. "That should be cause for concern by patients and physicians alike."

The results of the 2002 Sleep in America poll are available on NSF’s Web site at ww.sleepfoundation.org.