Statistics on Insomnia in the U.S.: Goodpath Employer Health Index

Written by Goodpath Medical Team

2021-07-16

Sleep trouble affects many people in the U.S. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that about 20% to 30% of adults have experienced insomnia symptoms, and at least 6% have an actual diagnosis of insomnia disorder. Our goal at Goodpath is to help people manage their sleep problems and create lasting, positive results.

Our recent study analyzed 1,598 people who took our sleep assessment. The results showed some commonalities regarding treatment, and where conventional methods may fall short.

Contents:

Defining sleep problems

Insomnia statistics

The ripple effect

Conventional care may not go far enough

A better solution

Defining sleep problems

Sleep problems are based on an individual’s point of view. A person might report difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up too early, or not feeling rested.

It's more than a few "rough nights"

Most people experience a bad night of sleep once in a while. However, when it happens often, missed or interrupted sleep can have serious negative impacts.

The vast majority of people who completed our assessment were considered sleep deprived - 89% of respondents answered questions confirming that they were not getting good quality sleep. Of those, 70% had an inconsistent sleep pattern and/or fewer than 6 hours of sleep per night.

Insomnia statistics: Other associated health problems are common

Besides losing precious recharge time, people who have trouble sleeping often have other medical problems that also affect their quality of sleep. Problems with emotional health often contribute to and are worsened by insomnia. People could also have symptoms of medical problems that occur during sleep and may only be noticed by a sleep partner.

In our assessment data, we found that:

79% of respondents experience symptoms of both anxiety and depression
37% have a possible breathing-related sleep problem (such as sleep apnea)
29% experience symptoms of restless legs syndrome or teeth grinding
28% have nighttime reflux symptoms

The ripple effect

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) notes that about 1 out of 10 adults have insomnia that interferes with daytime functioning. For example, they may have difficulty concentrating, less energy to do things, or trouble with errors while managing tasks. There's a good chance you work with at least one person experiencing the effects of troubled sleep.

Conventional care may not go far enough

People with insomnia have long-term symptoms, even when they take sleeping pills or seek conventional care. In our sample, 35% have tried at least one sleep medication, either over-the-counter or prescribed by their doctors - yet, 73% reported symptoms of insomnia that persisted for more than 3 months.

Conventional care may not be enough for those with trouble sleeping. That's where Goodpath comes in - we use an integrative approach with both conventional and complementary treatments - and we make it as simple as possible.

A better solution

Integrative healthcare is a whole person-based approach - it addresses all of a person’s needs. We bring together the best of conventional practices (like over-the-counter medicines) and complementary treatments (like supplements and yoga) in a coordinated way.

Integrative care is backed by science

Medical studies confirm that integrative care shows tangible results. In one study 3 out of 4 people who use an integrative approach with CBT-I fall asleep faster (Espie CA et al. Sleep 2012).

Goodpath programs deliver results

After taking our sleep assessment, Goodpath members start their personalized program with the support of their health coach. The integrative program, including CBT-I, accommodates their changing needs over the long-term. We know that more than 75% of people who use CBT for sleep disturbances achieve healthier sleep (Espie CA et al. Sleep 2012).

Dr. Ioannis Koutsourelakis, MD, MSc, PhD, one of Goodpath's sleep experts, has treated countless patients with troubled sleep. He stands by the integrative approach:

"Goodpath's integrative sleep program is innovative because it's based on four pillars: nutrition, supplements, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), and mind/body practices. Other integrative sleep programs are only based on one or two of these pillars - we believe in a whole-person approach to health, and using every resource possible to help people achieve a good night's sleep."

Sleep problems can be tricky to manage, but you don't have to do it alone. Take the first step by completing our free assessment.

Our programs can be offered as an ancillary benefit in your company. Implementation takes less than two weeks, from first introductions to the enrollment webinar. Learn more at https://www.goodpath.com/employer

You can also read our inside data on back pain.