Sleep Wake Cycle, Its Physiology and Impact on Health.pdf

Sleep-Wake Cycle:

Its Physiology and Impact on Health

Sleep-Wake Cycle:

Its Physiology and Impact on Health

www.sleepfoundation.org

Acknowledgements

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) wishes to thank two distinguished

members of the sleep community, Meir Kryger, MD and Phyllis Zee, MD, for

volunteering their time and providing the guidance and expertise that helped

make this project possible. Dr. Kryger is a professor of medicine and director

of the Sleep Disorders Center at St. Boniface Hospital, University of Manitoba

in Winnipeg, Canada. Dr. Zee is director of the Sleep Disorders Center at

Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, associate director of the Center

for Circadian Biology and Medicine at Northwestern University and Professor

of Neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Dr. Kryger and Dr. Zee are NSF directors.

Sleep-Wake Cycle: Its Physiology and Impact on Health was independently

created by the National Sleep Foundation and was supported by an

unrestricted educational grant from Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

II. Mechanisms Controlling Sleep and Wakefulness

III. Why Sleep Matters: The Impact of Sleep and Sleep Loss

IV. Sleep Disorders

V. Glossary

VI. References

www.sleepfoundation.org

No doubt, the consequences of sleep loss are signiﬁ cant. Historic tragedies have been linked to fatigue-related human

error, among them the Exxon Valdez oil spill 1 and the NASA Challenger shuttle explosion. 2 The grave outcomes of

events like these are just some of the reasons why improved understanding of the biology of sleep and wake can lead

to improved quality of life and safety.

Emerging science and advances in technology now are allowing us to examine sleep at a level of detail never before

possible. In addition to documenting the more obvious consequences of poor sleep, scientists are increasingly exploring

what happens during sleep at the neurological and physiological level. And what they’re recognizing is that sleep

provides more beneﬁ ts than previously thought and is absolutely crucial to promoting health and bodily function.

So why is sleep so important? Although we naturally think of sleep as a time of rest and recovery from the stresses

of everyday life, research is revealing that sleep is a dynamic activity, during which many processes vital to health and

well-being take place. New evidence shows that sleep is essential to helping maintain mood, memory, and cognitive

performance. It also plays a pivotal role in the normal function of the endocrine and immune systems. In fact, studies

show a growing link between sleep duration and a variety of serious health problems, including obesity, diabetes,

hypertension, and depression.

It is no exaggeration to say that some of the most pressing problems we face as a society may be linked to poor

sleep. Drowsiness in sleep-deprived drivers is likely the cause of more than 100,000 crashes, 71,000 injuries and more

than 1,500 deaths each year. 3 In addition, sleep disorders are estimated to cost Americans over $100 billion annually

in lost productivity, medical expenses, sick leave, and property and environmental damage. 4 On a personal level, we all

know how miserable we feel after a night of poor sleep.

Despite the fact that at least 40 million Americans report having sleep problems, more than 60 percent of adults have

never been asked about the quality of their sleep by a physician, and fewer than 20 percent ever initiated a discussion

about it. 5 Clearly, sleep’s impact on health and well being is under-recognized. But the growing body of knowledge

about the complex structure, function, and mechanisms of sleep, as well as the consequences when sleep is lost or

disturbed, should serve as a wake-up call for making sleep a public health priority.

Barbara A. Phillips, MD, MSPH

Richard L. Gelula, MSW

Chair, National Sleep Foundation

Chief Executive Ofﬁ cer, National Sleep Foundation

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: