Australian Study Reveals Billions Lost Due To Sleep Disorders

For the people down under in Australia, sleep disorders are costing billions each year due to the reduction of quality of life.  The disorders are also responsible for more than $5 billion AUSD annually for health services and circumstantial costs.  According to the Deloitte Access Economies, the lessening of the quality of life is equal to $31 billion per year. 

In the US, more than 40 million have chronic sleep problems. If you think about the population of Australia as compared to the United States, the annual attributed costs can be staggering.  The negative effects of not having enough sleep may well go beyond the dark circles around the eyes.  The following can happen when an individual is deprived of a good night’s sleep:

• Weight problems
• Stressful relationships
• Drowsiness
• Mood swings
• Forgetfulness
• Problem focussing on situations and issues
• Accidents
• Low productivity
• and the list can go on and on.

Nine percent of the 1.5 million Australians suffer from a sleep disorder with sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome (RLS) and insomnia as leading the list. These situations all cause disruption of sleep and correspondingly the effects happen during daytime.  Sluggishness, poor concentration and other sub-optimal brain functions are affected.  Depression is another side effect of sleep deprivation. Professor David Hillman, the director of the West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, confirms that such negative outcomes happen and it has a great impact on the quality of life and work. Both Professor Hillman and the Deloitte Access Economics have quantified the economic bearing of sleep disorders.

Depression due to the lack of sleep hours can cause heart diseases and hypertension.  This in turn has another impact on the health care and complimentary costs.  There are also accidents caused by drivers who fall asleep while on the road; people falling down the stairs because of drowsiness; and so on.  Productivity at work is lessened with more errors and operational problems arising because the employee was so sleepy and lacked the needed focus.  Workplace accidents are also expected to happen.

With studies that give a dollar cost on the destructive effects of sleep disorders, there is now a call for government and organizations to campaign for a preventive health campaign for people to get a good night’s rest and proper diet.  Sleep is one of the most neglected need by most people. An information campaign on benefits of sleeping as well as the harmful results for lack of it can help save lives.  The public should be made aware that sleep problems can be cured and there are sleep centers that have the expertise to determine the problems and provide solutions. 

Since there are more studies about sleep deprivation consequences, it would help those suffering from sleep apnea, insomnia and other disorders to become aware that these problems may result have very dangerous end results on the body and maybe even death.  Making people aware of these situations will save them from more health problems and will increase their quality of life.