An Official American Thoracic Society Statement: The Importance of Healthy Sleep. Recommendations and Future Priorities

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Despite substantial public interest, few recommendations on the promotion of good sleep health exist to educate health care providers and the general public on the importance of sleep for overall health. The aim of this American Thoracic Society (ATS) statement is to provide a review of the current scientific literature to assist health care providers, especially pulmonologists and sleep physicians, in making recommendations to patients and the general public about the importance of achieving good quality and adequate quantity of sleep. ATS members were invited, based on their expertise in sleep medicine, and their conclusions were based on both empirical evidence identified after comprehensive literature review and clinical experience. We focus on sleep health in both children and adults, including the impact of occupation on sleep, the public health implications of drowsy driving, and the common sleep disorders of obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia. This ATS statement also delineates gaps in research and knowledge that should be addressed and lead to new focused research priorities to advance knowledge in sleep and sleep health. Good quality and quantity of sleep are essential for good health and overall quality of life; therefore a strong recommendation was made for the implementation of public education programs on the importance of sleep health.