Insufficient sleep can lead to health problems

Get the children up. Grab breakfast before school. Head to work. Put in a full day and run to various activities at night. For many, life can be hectic, and sometimes basic needs like sleep suffer.

A story from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention that appeared on the Jan. 14 Health page of the Southeast Missourian highlighted the importance of getting enough zzz's.

The National Institutes of Health says that children attending school need 10 hours of sleep per night; teens should have between nine and 10 hours; and adults should have seven to eight hours of sleep. A National Healthy Interview Survey suggests than about 30 percent of adults receive six hours of sleep or less per day. The data were from 2005 to 2007. Additionally, about 31 percent of students in 2009 were receiving a minimum average of eight hours of sleep on a school night.

The CDC gave several sleep suggestions that were adapted from the National Sleep Foundation:

* Have a regular bedtime and time to get up in the morning.

* Avoid large meals before going to bed.

* Don't drink caffeine and alcohol before going to bed.

* Avoid using nicotine.

The importance of getting enough sleep shouldn't be dismissed. It's more than feeling tired and run down. Sleep deficiency can lead to many health problems, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cancer, among other health issues.

Our lives can get busy, but it's important that we not overlook basic things like sleep.