Insomnia Costs U.S. $63 Billion Annually: Study

Sleep deprivation, or insomnia, results in a loss of $2,280 and 11.3 days of lost productivity to each U.S. worker in a year, says a report of the America Insomnia Survey.

According to a new study published in the journal Sleep, insomnia costs 252.7 days and $63.2 billion annually in losses to the nation, if the total U.S. workforce is taken into account. Researchers examined health data of 7,428 workers covered by employer health plans.

The study says that 23.2 percent of U.S. workers suffered from insomnia.

Several occupational factors contribute to insomnia -- work schedules, shift work and night work, the physical environment at work and occupational stressors. Insomnia is also a common in problem in daytime workers.

The problem needs attention as it causes a huge loss of time and money to the workers and, subsequently, to the employers and the nation.