Stress Less: Report Card — Sleep

Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. Insufficient sleep is also responsible for motor vehicle and machinery-related accidents, causing substantial injury and disability each year.

Sleep needs vary from person to person. The National Heat Lung and Blood Institute suggest that the optimal amount of sleep needed to perform adequately, avoid a sleep debt, and not have problem sleepiness during the day is about 7–8 hours for adults.

In 2009 almost one in five (18.5%) of Wellness Assessment respondents reported that they usually get six or fewer hours of sleep each night. This is a decrease of about 5% since 2006.