Talk to your doctor first, then talk to us. As with any medical issue, discussing your sleep problem with your personal physician is the first step in the treatment process. Your primary care doctor may refer you for a consultation with a GW sleep specialist, who will thoroughly evaluate your testing and treatment needs. The answer varies considerably across age groups - and from person to person. However, infants generally require about 16 hours of sleep per day, while teenagers need about 9.
Experts believe that sleep is necessary for our nervous systems to work properly.
Too little sleep leaves us drowsy and unable to concentrate. The consequences can range from diminished job performance to driver fatigue, which accounts for an estimated 100,000 motor vehicle accidents annually. In addition, certain sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, have been linked to a number of medical conditions, including depression, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke. Generally, if you feel drowsy during the day, you haven't had enough sleep. The same is true if you fall asleep within five minutes of lying down.