Insufficient Sleep in Idaho

Idaho

Insufficient sleep is a public health challenge. Sleep is critical for basic functions such as cognitive processing, mood regulation, blood sugar level and immune system response. Insufficient sleep is a risk factor for many chronic diseases, including cancer, depression, diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

Insufficient sleep is also associated with reduced productivity and quality of life and increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, industrial accidents and medical errors. Drowsy driving caused 693 deaths in the United States in 2022 or 1.6% of all motor vehicle fatalities.

A 2016 report by the Rand Corporation estimated that insufficient sleep costs $411 billion in missed work days and reduced productivity.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of insufficient sleep is higher among:

• Adults ages 18-64 compared with those ages 65 and older, who have the lowest prevalence of insufficient sleep.
• Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Black, multiracial and American Indian/Alaska Native adults compared with Asian, white and Hispanic adults.
• Adults with lower levels of education compared with college graduates.
• Adults with an annual household income less than $25,000 compared with those with incomes of $75,000 or more. 
• Adults who have difficulty with self-care, cognition or independent living compared with adults without a disability. 
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBQ+) adults compared with straight adults. 
• Adults who have served in the U.S. armed forces compared with adults who have not served. 

Additional research shows shift work schedules decrease sleep quality, which increases the risk of developing chronic sleep problems.

The National Institutes of Health recommends that adults sleep seven to eight hours and school-aged children sleep between eight and 12 hours nightly. Everyone should follow a sleep schedule. Making up for lost sleep through naps may provide short-term energy boosts but does not provide the health benefits gained by regular, adequate nighttime sleep.

Limiting electronic devices before bedtime may improve sleep quality — the blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with the body’s circadian rhythm. 

Policy solutions to address insufficient sleep in the U.S. are limited, though some industries have taken steps to reduce the hazards of insufficient sleep among their workers. For example, in 2011, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education limited the number of hours medical residents could work consecutively, which led to increased safety among employees and patients.

Healthy People 2030 has several objectives regarding sleep health, including:

• Increasing the proportion of adults who get enough sleep. 
• Reducing the rate of motor vehicle crashes due to drowsy driving.

Hale, Lauren, Wendy Troxel, and Daniel J. Buysse. “Sleep Health: An Opportunity for Public Health to Address Health Equity.” Annual Review of Public Health 41, no. 1 (April 2, 2020): 81–99. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094412.

Jackson, Chandra L., Susan Redline, and Karen M. Emmons. “Sleep as a Potential Fundamental Contributor to Disparities in Cardiovascular Health.” Annual Review of Public Health 36 (March 18, 2015): 417–40. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031914-122838.

Kecklund, Göran, and John Axelsson. “Health Consequences of Shift Work and Insufficient Sleep.” BMJ 355, no. 8080 (November 1, 2016). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i5210.

Liu, Yong, Anne G. Wheaton, Daniel P. Chapman, Timothy J. Cunningham, Hua Lu, and Janet B. Croft. “Prevalence of Healthy Sleep Duration among Adults — United States, 2014.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 65, no. 6 (February 19, 2016): 137–41. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6506a1.

Medic, Goran, Micheline Wille, and Michiel E. H. Hemels. “Short- and Long-Term Health Consequences of Sleep Disruption.” Nature and Science of Sleep 2017, no. 9 (May 19, 2017): 151–61. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S134864.

National Center for Statistics and Analysis. “Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2022.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, June 2024. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813560.

Sullivan, Kelly, and Collins Ordiah. “Association of Mildly Insufficient Sleep with Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression.” Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research 30 (December 2018): 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.npbr.2018.03.001.

Weaver, Matthew D., Jason P. Sullivan, Céline Vetter, Wei Wang, Conor S. O’Brien, Salim Qadri, Christopher P. Landrigan, Charles A. Czeisler, and Laura K. Barger. “Work Hour Policies Are Associated With Improved Safety Among Medical Residents.” Sleep 40, no. Abstract Supplement (April 28, 2017): A441. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleepj/zsx050.1182.