The most affected - 14.8 per cent - met the criteria for clinical insomnia,and most were undiagnosed,found the report released on Monday by the Sleep Health Foundation.
These people aren’t just having trouble falling and staying asleep - they’re grappling with significant distress and impairment (exhaustion,memory or attention problems,irritability,depression,hyperactivity or aggression,and a lack of energy or motivation) at least three times a week for three months or more.
“It’s troubling to see just how common it is for Australians to struggle with their sleep when it’s such a vital aspect of good health and happiness,” said senior author Professor Robert Adams at the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health.
Insomnia is associated with increased risks of hypertension,diabetes,heart disease,cardiovascular death. International research has shown rates of depression and anxiety are also higher among insomniacs.
A recent Australian survey suggested people whose sleep was interrupted by text messages or social media alerts were moreprone to car accidents and making mistakes at work.
“Then there’s the effects on your relationships with family and friends,” Professor Adams said.