Americans are sleeping less than ever before according to the Sleep in America Poll. Interestingly, almost half are willingly to reduce the amount of their sleep so they can do other activities which are considered more important.

The problem is that as you get older deep sleep or slow wave sleep decreases around 2 percent a decade from early adulthood to about age 60. People aged 60 and older generally show decreases in sleep efficiency or the actual sleep period divided by the time in bed.  They also show an advancement of their circadian rhythms which means they tend to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. That is not to say that changes in the environment and behavior also contribute to changes in circadian patterns. And, of course, there are always people who are exceptions to the rule.

Fortunately people who voluntarily lose sleep can often resolve their lack of sleep without treatment. That does not include, however, about 60 million Americans who are suffering from sleep related problems or clinical sleep disorders. While 75 percent of Americans say they have at least one symptom of a sleep problem a few nights per week, the same survey indicates that 76 percent of Americans do not believe they have a sleep problem and less than half report any problem to their doctor.

I have no idea what category you may be in but I do know that untreated sleep disorders are not good for your health. For instance if you have sleep apnea, a broadly labeled sleep disorder breathing, it is likely you have an obstructive sleep apnea. Many who suffer from sleep apnea do not get an examination because the nature of the diagnosis and treatment is so cumbersome so the condition is undiagnosed. The danger is this could lead to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes or having an accident caused by excessive daytime sleepiness.

The good news is that more research on other, less obstructive techniques for diagnosis and treatment are in the works.

Do any of these signs describe you? If so then you are not getting enough sleep.
1.    You depend on the alarm clock to wake you up.
2.    You and the coffee are inseparable.
3.    You are cranky and irritable especially in the afternoon.
4.    You make more mistakes because you cannot concentrate when you are tired.

Do you have cues that tell you when you’re not getting enough sleep? Share them with our readers and we’ll build a list to share with all.

To your successful healthy aging.

Ruthan