Losing sleep about sleep is the latest preoccupation driving people to unimaginable lengths, all for that peaceful night’s rest, according to a new investigation by Forbes magazine. Instead of sleeping over the problem and allowing it to pass, the sleepless actually spend waking hours, tossing and turning , just to grab 40 winks !
This is boom time for sleep inducing gadgets , and according to Forbes estimates, sales of prescription drugs, bedding, mattresses, and other sleep-inducing gadgets are a $10 billion to $12 billion a year business, with potential for immense growth."Sleep is something everyone needs and wants," said Melanie Wells, senior editor of Forbes. "We have to have it, and we have trouble getting it these days. And increasingly people are paying a lot of money for relief."
According to Experts, 8.5 hours is the required amount of sleep each night. However, an average American sleeps only for about 6.8 hours a night. About 10 percent of Americans have serious problems falling asleep and sleeping sound. Some just can’t afford to sleep due to the demands of a compelling job.
Sleep deprivation is detrimental to over all well being, contributing to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This also amounts to whopping annual health care costs of $16 billion and $50 billion in lost productivity. According to statistics, 42 million sleeping-pill prescriptions were registered in 2005, 60% more than what it was in 2000. The sleeping Pill industry currently estimated at $2 billion in America is slated to grow to$3.8 billion in the future. Sleeping pills come with a host of side effects that include sleepwalking, amnesia and addiction, apart from hangovers. Sleep aid gadgets have flooded the market in a wide range that intends to provide succor to a sleep(less) enthusiast.
