Health Impact of Sleep Disorders 4. Economic Impact of Sleep Disorders 5. Implications for Insurers 6. Executive Summary Chronic sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy affect 4 million Canadians. Another 2-3 million are affected by intermittent sleep disorders due to such factors as stress and shift work.
Sleep disorders affect all segments of society.
Based on figures cited in the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research submitted to the U.S. Congress in 1993, the direct costs of sleep disorders to Canadians are estimated to be in the range of 1-2 billion dollars annually. This estimate does not account for costs arising from motor vehicle accidents, occupational injuries, and decreased productivity in the workplace. Despite the importance of sleep disorders, Canadians remain largely ignorant of them. Health care professionals receive little training in this important area of practice. The average family doctor asks 1.8 questions about sleep in the course of an annual check-up.