Sleep Disorders in the Military, Soldiers Need their R & R

These days, soldiers don't get much sleep-literally. According to recent studies from the journal Sleep, it's estimated that sleep apnea and insomnia are two of the most common sleep disorders among our boys at home.

A study was conducted by researchers from the Madigan Healthcare System, including 726 active-duty members of the military, averaging their normal amount of sleep per night. Most of the men were found to have some type of sleep disorder. According to the study, 27.2 percent had mild obstructive sleep apnea, 24.7 percent had insomnia and 24 percent had moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.  

Unfortunately, according to researchers, the average amount of sleep per soldier each night was also far below the recommended amount of seven to nine hours a night according to the National Sleep Foundation, and fell in at 5.74 hours.

The study provides interesting insights into the human body and the growing link to the necessity of sleep and development. This also showcases important changes that need to be addressed in the military system so that soldiers and other military officers can get the proper amounts of sleep to perform correctly and receive proper health.

"The dramatic self-report of SSD [short sleep duration] in our cohort is consistent with prior studies and suggests the need for a cultural change toward appropriate sleep practices throughout the military," the researchers stated in a recent article from The Huffington Post.

As Sleep deprivation has been linked with many other debilitating health conditions such as weight problems, issues with the immune system and even stroke according to the Scientific American, it's important that we all get our necessary r & r.