Excessive daytime sleepiness can lead to fatigue, reduce productivity

CHENNAI: Experts say that lack of sleep can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and lack of concentration. The impact of sleeplessness can disrupt daily life in several ways and daytime sleepiness is a major concern though it is not recognised as a public health issue.

A study paper on understanding and approaching excessive daytime sleepiness published in Lancet states that excessive daytime sleepiness is a public health issue. However, it remains largely undervalued, scarcely diagnosed, and poorly supported.

Doctors say that excessive daytime sleepiness can lead to fatigue and reduce productivity and safety in the workplace. In the classroom, children’s education suffers, and on the roads, up to a third of traffic accidents are caused by sleep deprivation.

“EDS might be a consequence of several behavioural issues leading to insufficient or disrupted sleep, as well as a consequence of sleep disorders including sleep apnoea syndrome,” the paper said.