7 A surprising public health crisis has been declared in the United States – sleep. The Centers for Disease Control declared the crisis based on national survey information that shows a third of the adult population, and a shocking two-thirds of high school-age children, were getting insufficient sleep on a regular basis. Efforts to address this problem have been unsuccessful, with the number of adults who are chronically sleep deficient increasing every year since the crisis was declared. Why is this considered a public health crisis? The effects of sleep deficiency aren’t confined to the tired individual. Insufficient sleep is responsible for nearly a quarter of all transportation accidents – car, train, bus, boat, or plane. It’s also a common cause of on-the-job accidents, ranging from industrial accidents to medical mistakes. Another reason sleep deficiency is a public concern is because of the increased burden it places on the healthcare system. Chronic insufficiency of sleep contributes to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. It’s been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. Furthermore, some studies indicate it increases a person’s risk of developing MS. On a personal level, the effects of sleep deficiency are greater than just feeling tired or having difficulty concentrating. It can weaken your immune system’s ability to fight off infection, increase your appetite, slow your metabolism, and hamper your judgment. For those with MS, a lack of sleep can aggravate symptoms such as pain, depression, cognitive dysfunction, and even sexual dysfunction. A pattern of insufficient sleep also causes chronic low-grade inflammation, which theoretically may worsen MS. Why is getting enough sleep so critical? Sleep helps to regulate your metabolic, endocrine, and neurological functions. It’s your body’s time to clean and repairdamage done during the day. Muscledamagethatcomesfromnormal use is repaired. Hormones are released, including those that promote the growth of new cells. Immune cells are boosted. Chemical waste is removed from the brain, and the day’s memories are permanently stored. Continuing to run your body without the hormones, Nutrition Exercise Sleep Stress Treatment