Sleep And Health: How Longterm Deprivation Is Affecting Our Well-Being (VIDEO)

Monday kicked off National Sleep Awareness Week -- and it couldn't come at a more critical time. Americans everywhere are sleep deprived, from our kids who are boarding school buses even before the work day begins to shift workers trying to make ends meet in a difficult financial time. Over time, that loss of sleep can lead to serious health problems, including increased risk of obesity, heart problems and stroke, among others.

Yesterday, just a few days before we all lose that precious hour of Daylight Savings Time sleep this Sunday, the Harvard School of Public Health hosted, in collaboration with The Huffington Post, a live panel event to examine what we mean by "sleep deprivation," and its long-term effects. Dubbed "Fighting The Clock: How America's Sleep Deficit Is Damaging Longterm Health," the discussion was moderated by HuffPost Healthy Living's own editor-in-chief, Alana B. Elias Kornfeld.

Missed the live event? Check it out here.

Comments

[Huah]

12:52 PM on 03/08/2012

Very important topic. Get your sleep! Beyond this, I am amazed at the people I know with sleep apnea and other disorders (snoring, cessation of breathing for seconds, getting up many times at night, restlessness) who saw a sleep disorder doctor, got tested at night, and now sleep very well using a CPAP machine.

[Anthony Dodd]

03:19 PM on 03/06/2012

Thanks to Starbucks and Coca-Cola, we all delight in sugar and caffeine. One day when you reach the right age and stress level, you realize these two are the gateway to insomnia. Once you discover sleep isn't something you can take for granted, it's absolutely terrifying.

Young peeps who think I'm nuts: I'm not saying abandon sugar or coffee.

I'm saying if you like soda, make sure it's decaf. Decaf Coke tastes fine and doesn't give you that weird little headache.

If you need coffee to wake up (who doesn't?), go half caff. Seriously. And with a premium coffee (like Petes or Starbucks). Try it for a week and then discover how over-caffeinated coffee is.

[bogey1]

03:16 PM on 03/06/2012

buy a smaller house, keep the old car, eat at home more

all equals work less and sleep more

[Zhannon]

03:08 PM on 03/06/2012

enjoyed the panel and q&a very much ... thank you for providing it

[bahkey]

03:08 PM on 03/06/2012

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....MEMEMEMEMEMEME...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...MEMEMEMEME
HEY MOE WAKE UP, Now GO BACK TO SLEEP. YUCK,YUCK,YUCK.

[ZenCrusader]

02:57 PM on 03/06/2012

I realize now I was sleep deprived for most of my life - definitely in high school and in college. I now sleep 8-9 hours every night. I wake up feeling positive and fully rested with a deep sense of well being that I never have when I get less sleep. Previously, there were so many reasons and distractions to delay going to bed at a reasonable hour. Now that I realize the benefits of more sleep, virtually nothing is worth staying up late and not getting 8-9 hours. Lesson learned, better late than never.

[dollyfedup]

02:52 PM on 03/06/2012

Sleep deprivation is a tactic neurologists use to induce seizures in people with epilepsy. Sleep is a must for me because I'll continue having seizure activity until I finally get some sleep.

[Francois Bergeron]

02:49 PM on 03/06/2012

woulda been funny if it said tune in at 4am.

[Date tall big men]

02:48 PM on 03/06/2012

This is a great forum. Thanks for providing it.---BTW, give us a shot if you are looking for a life companion.

[Amy Elias, MS]

02:39 PM on 03/06/2012

Arlene elias of Delray Beach wants to know why she can't sleep...I take sleeping pills but it gives me four hours..I am 82..HELP!

[FAHayekWasRight]

03:07 PM on 03/06/2012

Sleeping pills don't work. They knock you out, that's all. Get off them.

[pecoes]

03:43 PM on 03/06/2012

That sounds like a medical problem. You should consult a specialist. And as FAHayekWasRight said: Enough with the pills! Problems like obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome e.g. cannot be treated with sleeping pills. Picking a therapy without having a diagnosis first, is a very bad idea.

[Xylem44]

02:08 PM on 03/06/2012

I waited almost ten minutest for this to finish buffering before I gave up and went to look for the real video online. Next time, just give us the link please. This is a great forum. Thanks for providing it.

[Pearlswan]

05:22 PM on 03/06/2012

Me too, same problem. Thanks for the tip. It would have been even more helpful if you had included the direct link:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/forum/sleep-deprivation-fighting-the-clock.cfm

[John Derrick]

01:37 PM on 03/06/2012

Many Americans were brought up and taught to work hard; early bird gets the worm, etc. It's long been my practice (over 40 years of my life) of functioning on between 4 to 6 hours of sleep every night. I try to fit my personal life around my job (as so many of us) demands between 12 to 16 hours a day 5 to 7 days a week; leaving very little time for our personal life. Still, we tend to cheat ourselves out of sleep to make ends meet... I don't think it's healthy (physically, mentally or socially). And nowadays, employers are hard-pressed to do more with fewer employees mandating their employees sacrifice to keep businesses afloat. I blame much of all this on labor costs, healthcare costs, and taxes. It's the American curse and we've done it to ourselves.