Lost Productivity in US Workforce Due to Insomnia Costing $63.2 Billion Annually

On average US workers lose 11.3 days, or 2,280 dollars in productivity each year due to insomnia, a study has revealed.

The study revealed that insomnia affects around 23 percent of US workers, and brings a national cost for the sleeping disorder at 63.2 billion dollars.

Insomnia — Overview
Difficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep is known as insomnia. It is a symptom that occurs due to other disorders and can cause daytime sleepiness.

The study results were made from a national sampling of 7,428 employees, which was part of the larger American Insomnia Study (AIS) conducted in 2008 and 2009.

According to the study, insomnia was found to be significantly lower (14.3 percent) among workers age 65 and older, and higher among working women (27.1 percent) than working men (19.7 percent).

"We were shocked by the enormous impact insomnia has on the average person's life," said lead author Ronald C. Kessler, Ph.D.

About Sleep Disturbances
The physical, emotional and hormonal changes that occur in women during puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can cause Sleep Disturbances

"It's an underappreciated problem. Americans are not missing work because of insomnia. They are still going to their jobs but accomplishing less because they're tired. In an information-based economy, it's difficult to find a condition that has a greater effect on productivity," Kessler added.

According to study co-author James K. Walsh, the average cost of treating insomnia ranges from about 200 dollars a year for a generic sleeping pill to up to 1,200 dollars for behavioral therapy.

Insomnia Affects US Economy: Study
A study showed insomnia affects around 23 percent of US workers, and brings a national cost for the sleeping disorder at $63.

The study also found a lower than average insomnia prevalence among respondents with less than a high school education (19.9 percent) and among college graduates (21.5 percent).

Those with a high school education (25.3 percent) or some college education (26.4 percent) showed higher rates of prevalent insomnia, the study revealed.

Cure for Insomnia
Reading bedtime stories is found to be effective for insomniacs, says Indian-origin artist.

Source-ANI