Economic implications of sleep disorders

Sleep disorders such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and fatigue, sleep deprivation and restless legs syndrome (RLS) are increasingly seen in clinical practice. Sleep is considered vital for preserving daytime cognitive function and physiological well-being. Sleep insufficiency may have deleterious effects on work-life balance, overall health and safety. The consequential economic burden at both the individual and societal levels is significant. Moreover, sleep disorders are commonly associated with other major medical problems such as chronic pain, cardiovascular disease, mental illness, dementias, gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes mellitus. Thus, in order to properly care for patients presenting with sleep-related morbidity, and to reduce the consequential economic burden, accurate screening efforts and efficacious/cost-effective treatments need to be developed and employed.