Study: Military Spouse Sleep Disturbances Are Common
Submitted by New Jersey Snoring Solutions on Wed 10/26/2016 - 09:00
A recent study published in the journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that spouses of military service members experience a significant amount of sleep disturbances. In this blog post, Dr. Ivan Stein of New Jersey Sleep Apnea Solutions takes a closer look at the study’s findings and its implications.
About the Study
The study looked at 1,480 wives of military service members who completed self-reported instruments related to sleep, physical health, marital satisfaction and depression. Researchers found that 44 percent of spouses reported sleeping six hours or less per night, while approximately 54 percent reported daytime impairment due to sleep problems. Additionally, 62 percent reported daytime fatigue at least one to two times per day. The study also found that spouses of currently or previously deployed service members experienced poorer sleep quality than spouses of service members who had never been deployed.
“These results are important because we know very little about sleep problems among military spouses,” said principal investigator and senior behavioral and social scientist Dr. Wendy Troxel, PhD. “Promoting sleep health may be an important strategy for enhancing military families’ adjustment in the post-deployment period. This is particularly relevant given that the past 14 years of protracted overseas combat have exacted an unprecedented toll on U.S. service members and their families.”
Military families face a number of difficulties that can be attributed to sleep disturbances. Difficulties include unpredictable work schedules, training environments and frequent residential moves. All of these and more can impact stress levels and healthy sleep among families, regardless of the whether they are a military family or not. Stress is a primary risk factor for several sleep disorders, including sleep apnea.
Unfortunately, many sleep difficulties and disorders go widely untreated. Research estimates there are 6 to 12 million Americans with obstructive sleep apnea (the most common type of the disorder) but don’t know it.
Sleep apnea is common but treatable. At New Jersey Sleep Apnea Solutions, Dr. Stein offers several treatment options for people with symptoms of sleep apnea. To learn more about sleep apnea, schedule a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Stein. Please call (855) WHY-SNORE or (855) 949-7667 today.
