Chronic insomnia affects 1 in 8 people, study reports

Every night, millions of Americans face a complex challenge: the fight for deep, restful sleep.

Sleep deprivation not only saps your energy and affects your mood; it can also significantly impact your health, work performance, and overall quality of life. Chronic insomnia, lasting more than three months, increases your risk of developing a variety of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, chronic pain syndrome, depression, anxiety, diabetes, obesity, and asthma.

According to the results of a recent study questionnaire As presented at SLEEP 2024: The 38th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, approximately 12% of U.S. adults, or one in eight people, have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia.

Interestingly, the study results reveal a noticeable trend: Men were slightly more likely to be diagnosed with insomnia than women (13% vs. 11%). Additionally, millennials — those born between 1981 and 1996 — had the highest rate of chronic insomnia diagnoses, at 15%.

When comparing the risk of insomnia across age groups, the 25-34 age group was found to be the most likely (16%) to be diagnosed with chronic insomnia. People in the Western region of the US (14%) were most likely to be diagnosed with chronic insomnia, while those in the Midwest region (10%) reported the lowest prevalence.

The online survey surveyed 2,006 adults from across the United States. The researchers noted that the expected margin of error for the entire sample was +/- 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, waking up at night or too early, feeling tired or sleepy during the day, mood changes such as irritability or anxiety, difficulty concentrating, making mistakes or accidents more often, and constant worries about sleep. signs chronic insomnia. Sleep disturbances can result from a variety of factors, including stress, lifestyle choices, medications, underlying mental health issues, and the natural aging process.

“Chronic insomnia affects not only how a person sleeps at night, but also how they feel and function during the day. Fortunately, there are effective treatment options for people living with chronic insomnia, and these treatments can significantly improve both their health and quality of life.” he said Dr Eric Olson President, American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Treatment options include lifestyle changes, including avoiding alcohol and caffeine and increasing physical activity, along with prescription and over-the-counter sleep medications. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which includes behavioral techniques to correct sleep problems, is considered the best treatment option.

“Cognitive behavioral therapy offers patients with chronic insomnia a highly personalized plan that helps identify any underlying issues and provide long-term solutions to promote robust sleep,” said Michael Nadorff, president of the Society for Behavioral Sleep Medicine.