Chapter 14.Sleep Disorders
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Excerpt
Obtaining a sufficient quantity and quality of sleep is important for good health. Chronic partial sleep deprivation, also known as insufficient sleep, is common in our society. The consequences include depressed mood, interpersonal irritability, decreased daytime vigilance, weight gain, coronary artery disease, and cognitive impairment (Kecklund and Axelsson 2016). Determining what amount of sleep is sufficient for an individual is difficult for several reasons. Sleep duration gradually decreases from a starting length of 16 hours per 24-hour day as human beings transition from infancy to adulthood. Interindividual differences in the optimal amount of sleep range from 6 to 12 hours, with a mean of 7.5 hours for adults. When a primary sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea (OSAH), is present, the continuity and depth of sleep may be compromised independently of sleep duration. Recognizing how much sleep any individual requires is complicated. Nonetheless, there is consensus that chronically inadequate sleep is detrimental to health.
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