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... ing asleep at midnight, the young person dreads the next day when they must go through it all again. Many public figures have suggested a later school starting time at 9 or so. As this would definitely make a difference, the situation can never be completely mended because teenagers today are simply busy. And unfortunately, sleep does not fit into their schedule as they try to participate in everything possible and prepare for college or their career of choice. As they sleep five or six hours on weeknights and try to compensate with 12 -hour sleep marathons on weekends, test scores drop and behavior changes.
Teens become more irritable and depressed when their body is thrown out of whack and their minds are under so much stress. It is a teens responsibility to remember that they need more sleep than an adult, about 9 hours and 15 minutes every night, and give our best effort to get enough rest. Also, studies have shown that many youth growth hormones are secreted in certain phases of sleep. Therefore, physical growth may be curbed when a sleep routine cannot be set.
More serious than teenage regression is decreased productivity in the workplace. Ironic as it is, the workers who try to pull all-nighter's and work until exhaustion are actually doing no good and possibly only taking steps backwards. Quality of work is affected as well as capability to be efficient. Numbers say that 31 % of people claim that sleepiness affects their job performance on a regular basis (Clark 282). Workplace accidents are also growing pattern. These mishaps, combined with decreased productivity, are estimated to cost the government $ 150 billion every year, or $ 410 million daily (Curry).
Sleep deprivation is believed to have played a part in the Prince Edwards Sound (Alaskan) oil spill, the Three Mile island Accident, Chernobyl, Bhopal, and the space shuttle Challengers explosion. Health care is another aspect of daily life greatly affected by lack of sleep. The American public does not realize that the doctor who may be giving them a quadruple bypass only slept for 3 hours the night before, as his work schedule was rearranged at the last minute. Reaction time is slowed greatly when sleep is lost; this is a very big risk to take in the emergency medical world.
It is universally known that first year medical residents average 2. 6 hours of sleep daily- not a comforting fact when added to their inexperience when a loved ones life is on the line. The medical professionals are in danger as well when they do not sleep enough; immunity is altered without enough rest and they could come down with whatever is putting you in immediate danger. Although all these effects put an individual at a disadvantage or in somewhat of a risky situation, the greatest danger of sleep deprivation is witnessed on roads and in the air. Motor vehicles are operated by humans, and can kill when the driver is impaired by sleepiness. This true handicap is put into perspective by the saying "Driving while tired is similar to driving drunk" (Hamilton/Springen 10). Everyone knows how dangerous driving after drinking alcohol or taking drugs can be, but the sister danger of sleep deprivation is not recognized so clearly.
The National Sleep Foundation reports that 27 % of drivers admit to having dozed off while driving in the past year. They also claim that this percentage is very forgiving- who would want to admit that they sleep at the wheel? Accidents are particularly common around the 3 p. m. and midnight hours, as this is a time for natural dip in body rhythm. An estimated 24, 000 deaths and 2 million disabling accidents occur yearly in the United States alone, costing $ 43. 15 billion (Clark 282).
Five-thousand big-rig accidents are also annually reported (Moore); professional drivers are known for sleeping minimally as they get paid for miles driven and sleep "wastes time." In interview with a southerner, it was coincidentally revealed that this mans car was smashed up by a propane truck driver who had been awake for 72 hours to aid a snow relief effort. The aviation field also has its fair share of risk associated with under-sleeping. One out of seven pilots confess to nodding off in the cockpit on a regular basis. In plane accidents, human mistake is said to be a factor in 70 %, fatigue is a factor in over half of that 70 %. Many commercial airlines are now calling for a third or fourth pilot, or even an entire relief crew to prevent mishaps. Sleep deprivation in America is caused primarily by the growing trend of overachieving and leads to negative effects on the individual and the society around him.
It causes anxiety, lower quality performance, risks in many areas and also claims many lives. Unfortunately, it is still not nationally recognized as a serious problem. This condition is both preventable and curable, all that needs to be done is simple sleeping enough. Some groups have tried to educate the public on this topic, such as the National Sleep Foundation, but sadly awareness will not grow until more tragedies and downfalls occur. Sleep deprivation is not addicting like substances or spread like bacteria. It is up to individuals to realize that the impact of their choice of lifestyles go beyond the immediate commitments.
Many problems in America and all around the world can be solved by an action that is natural, painless, and voluntary... Sleep! Clark, Andrew. "Sleep and Be Merry." World Link Jan/Feb 1996. London, England. Curry, Carl. "For Better Biz-z-z." Long Island Business News May 21 1999. Dryer, Bernard M.
D. and Ellen S. Kaplan. Inside Insomnia: How To Sleep Better Tonight. Villiard Books, New York.
Hamilton, Kendall and Karen Springen. "A Good Nights Sleep - Impossible Dream?" . Newsweek, January 12 1998. Member, Martin. "Asleep in the Cockpit." Miami Herald June 21 1998. Moore, Richard. "Sleep Takes Its Toll in Workplace." Business Journal January 22 1996.
Springen, Karen. "Sleepless and Cranky." Newsweek, May 17 1999. The National Sleep Foundation. web The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Volume 27, page 304. 1994 by Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. We, Egon. "Why Arent You Asleep Yet?" . FDA Consumer October 1989.
Zammit, Gary. Good Nights. 1997 by Alison Brown Center Book Development, Inc. Kansas City. Bibliography:
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