The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s (AASM) new position statement focuses on how chronic daytime sleepiness can negatively affect physical and mental health while impacting virtually every part of a person’s personal and professional life.
The position statement was published in AASM’s Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
“The position states that sleepiness is a critical patient-reported outcome that is associated with an increased risk for adverse health effects and diminished quality of life,” the AASM said in an April 14 press release. “The statement urges health-care professionals, policymakers, and researchers to prioritize the evaluation, management and treatment of sleepiness to improve public health.”
More than just a nuisance
Sleepiness is more than just an annoyance, the AASM said, calling it “a marker of insufficient sleep and a major patient-reported symptom associated with sleep-wake disorders such as narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea.” Sleepiness can also be caused or exacerbated by certain medications and lifestyle factors.
One of the challenges in treating sleepiness is its many causes. A diverse range of medical conditions, from rheumatoid arthritis to brain injury, stroke, hypothyroidism, iron deficiencies, Parkinson’s disease and dementia can cause sleepiness. So can mood disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder. Sleep deprivation from chronic insomnia, restless legs syndrome, or disturbances to sleep timing can also result in daytime sleepiness.
Excessive sleepiness during the day has been linked “to increased risks of cognitive impairment, workplace accidents, drowsy-driving crashes, and mental health concerns, such as depression and suicidal ideation.” Sleepiness in children can cause difficulties in school, including inattentiveness, behavioral issues, and decreased performance.
AASM’s position statement noted that one-third of adults in the United States report being excessively sleepy, a condition that “can have a negative impact on performance, health, mood, safety and quality of life. In severe cases, sleepiness can lead to debilitation, injury or death.”
Building on the position statement
In addition to the AASM, 25 medical, scientific, patient, and safety organizations supported the position statement, including the American Academy of Cardiovascular Sleep Medicine, the American Academy of Neurology, the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the American Thoracic Society, the National Safety Council, and the Society for Behavioral Sleep Medicine.
“Sleepiness is a serious health concern with wide-reaching consequences,” said Eric Olson, M.D., president of the AASM. “From drowsy driving crashes to workplace errors and long-term health risks, the effects of excessive daytime sleepiness impact individuals and society every day. With one-third of U.S. adults reporting they experience excessive sleepiness, the importance of identifying interventions that recognize, assess and treat it cannot be understated.”
Olson added that the problem of chronic sleepiness needs to be urgently addressed.
“We’ve reached a critical point where the health-care system must prioritize the evaluation and management of sleepiness to help patients achieve restorative sleep and maintain daytime alertness,” Olson said. “Further research and innovation are essential to advancing the treatment of sleep-wake disorders, including studies that drive the development of therapies for daytime sleepiness.”
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