Campaign stresses importance of healthy sleep

Darien, IL – A recently launched national campaign aims to help millions of Americans improve their sleep habits and reduce their risk of the health problems associated with chronic sleep loss.

The Sleep Well, Be Well campaign is part of the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, a collective effort involving the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Sleep Research Society.

According to CDC data, 28 percent of U.S. adults report that they sleep an average of six hours or less per 24-hour period. Experts say poor sleep health affects almost every key indicator of public health, increasing the risk of injuries, incidents, disability and death.

The campaign recommended four tips to help people achieve healthy sleep:

• Quantity – Get seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
• Quality – Know that alcohol, caffeine and some medications can interrupt sleep.
• Timing – Follow a consistent schedule each day for going to bed and waking up.
• Health – Seek treatment for sleep problems such as loud and frequent snoring.