At least 41 million of the US civilian workforces are severely sleep-deprived, a condition which can cause serious and fatal problems for them and their colleagues.
About 30 percent of the American workers get fewer than six hours of sleep per night, which is less than the 7 to 9 recommended hours, revealed a new national study carried out by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“There about 41 million workers who aren't getting the recommended amount of sleep,” said senior researcher Dr. Sara Luckhaupt of the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The survey which studied more than 15,000 workers showed that some experienced sleep deprivation more than others. The highest rate belonged to night shift workers.
The highest sleep deprivation rates were recorded in the transportation or warehouse industries workers, followed by those in health care and social assistance system.
"Not surprisingly, workers who work the night shift are more likely to not get enough sleep," said Luckhaupt. People who work more than one job or more than 40 hours a week are also likely to get too little sleep, she noted.
Scientists warn about health consequences of chronic sleep deprivation such as higher risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental health problems.
Sleep deprivation also affects concentration of workers leading them and their colleagues to serious injuries and even deadly accidents.
The article estimated that 20 percent of vehicle crashes were linked to drowsy driving. Only in 2010, a total of 4,547 workers died from occupational injuries, and approximately 49,000 died from work-related illnesses.