Prognosis

Prognosis

A 2002 study of sleeping habits in over 1 million people reported that people who slept 7 hours a night lived the longest. People who slept more than 8 hours or less than 6 hours, or who took sleeping pills, had lower survival rates.

Insomnia is not life threatening, except in very rare cases, such as in those who have the genetic disorder called fatal familial insomnia. This rare degenerative brain disease develops in late adulthood.

Increased Risk for Accidents

As many as 200,000 automobile accidents in the U.S. and 1,500 deaths from such accidents are caused by sleepiness. Studies indicate that drowsy driving is as risky as drunk driving. In a major 2003 survey, 60% of young adults reported driving while drowsy and 20% dosed off while driving. In the study, 1% of adults who dozed off reported having an accident because of it. (One study strongly suggested that it was habitual sleepiness, however, and not just being sleepy at the time of an accident that places people at higher risk.)

Effect on Mood and Quality of Life

Surveys show that people with severe insomnia have a quality of life that is almost as poor as those who have chronic conditions such as heart failure. In addition to more daytime sleepiness, people with insomnia complain of more attention and memory problems compared to good sleepers.

Insomnia can also lead to irritability, mistakes at work, and poorer relationships.

Effect on Thinking and Performance. Studies suggest that insomnia makes it harder to concentrate and perform tasks.

• Reduced concentration. Deep sleep deprivation impairs the brain's ability to process information.
• Impaired task performance. One study reported that missing only 2 -3 hours of sleep every night for a week significantly impaired performance and mood. An Australian study reported that 17 hours of sleep deprivation causes impaired performance levels comparable to those found in people who have blood alcohol levels indicating intoxication.
• Memory problems. Whether insomnia significantly impairs learning is unclear. Some studies have reported problems in memorization, although others have found no differences in test scores between people with temporary sleep loss and those with full sleep.