The American Sleep Association says that 50 to 70 million Americans have sleep disorders, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention calls sleep deprivation a national epidemic. Although adolescents are thought to be at greatest risk, the lack of sleep is a threat to all ages. In addition to common symptoms like fatigue and daytime sleepiness, sleep deprivation increases the risk of disease and depression, affects thoughts and emotions, and raises accident levels.Experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep each night for adults, eight to ten for teens, and nine to eleven hours for school-aged children. For people who think they function well with less, Dr. Irina Gendler, MD, from Troy Primary Care Physicians in Ohio explains: “Our brain is trained to respond to change, and it will quit sending messages to the body that it is exhausted because that is already old news." An occasional night without sleep makes a person feel tired and irritable the next day, but it does not cause lasting damage. After a few nights, it becomes hard to focus and make decisions. If it continues, the lack of sleep has longlasting effects on general health and well-being, and health symptoms occur.
