Healthy Sleep Crusade
The Healthy Sleep Crusade is an initiative to drive urgency, awareness and action around sleep apnea, a disorder affecting nearly one in five people.
Research has clearly shown that restful and regular sleep is just as important to their patients’ health as exercise and a balanced diet.
Overcoming a sleep disorder and getting a good night’s rest has many benefits for overall health and quality of life. Sleep is important for learning and forming memories. Getting a good night’s sleep can give you more energy, and can increase your productivity and safety throughout the day. Perhaps most importantly, healthy sleep can greatly reduce the risk of serious health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and depression.
Although sleep is critical to good health, many people do not get enough quality sleep. For some people, this lack of sleep is by choice. For other people, the lack of sleep may be from:
- A change in the body’s natural clock. Shift work and jet lag are examples of things that can lead to this kind of sleep loss.
- Taking certain substances, like drugs or alcohol, that can make sleep less restful.
- Trying to sleep in a place that is not relaxing (too hot, too noisy).
- A sleep disorder, like sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea
Up to 20% of adult Americans have sleep apnea, but as many as 90% of them are undiagnosed.
“Obstructive sleep apnea is now recognized as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is important that those who experience consistent inadequate sleep receive treatment to prevent the development and progression of heart disease and other chronic medical conditions.”
Stanley Wang, MD, JD, MPH
Cardiologist, Austin Heart
Visit HeartHospitalofAustin.com and take our Simple Sleep Test. This is a brief online test that will help determine if you would benefit from an overnight sleep study.
