In Brief:
Almost one in five adults in the United States suffers moderate to excessive daytime sleepiness, a new study finds. "The prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness is very high in the American population, much higher than what we observed in the European population," Dr. Maurice Ohayon, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University and lead investigator of the new study, said in a news release from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "Insufficient sleep is plaguing the American population and is one of the leading factors for excessive daytime sleepiness. "The number of individuals sleepy or drowsy during situations where they should be alert is disturbing," Ohayon said. "Sleepiness is underestimated in its daily life consequences for the general population, for the shift workers and for the people reducing their amount of sleep for any kind of good reasons.
