Westchester, Ill. — The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commends the National Sleep Foundation for calling the public’s attention to the complex nature of sleep disorders in women through its annual Sleep in America poll and National Sleep Awareness Week®.
The 2007 Sleep in America poll focuses on the problems women of all ages and lifestyles experience with sleep, the effects of these sleep problems on quality of life, related associations with mood and performance, and tips for healthy sleep.
According to press materials, the poll respondents were asked “to provide their usual bedtimes and wake times to calculate their ‘numbers of hours in bed.’” While the poll does not examine the number of hours slept each night, it does show that most women appear to spend sufficient time in bed though they may experience physical symptoms and environmental disturbances that disrupt their sleep. Exceptions are full-time working women who are single or have school-aged children; these women are clearly sleep deprived.
Many of the conclusions of the poll, including the statistic regarding women who report they snore every night or almost every night and statistics regarding women who report insomnia, confirm the results of evidence-based studies that have been conducted by sleep medicine researchers and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Women who believe they have a sleep disorder should be aware that many treatment options are available. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine accredits full-service sleep centers and sleep-related breathing disorder laboratories that offer diagnosis, treatment, management and long-term care solutions. To locate an AASM-accredited sleep facility, visit www.sleepeducation.org.
Comprehensive information on sleep and sleep disorders as well as treatment options is available at www.sleepeducation.org
