Poor sleep harming Aussie economy
17-07-2013
The various impacts of sleep-related problems, from health-care bills to reduced work productivity, cost the country up to $4.3bn according to research cited at the launch of a new sleep centre. The ‘Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity’ in Melbourne has been created to raise public awareness of the importance of sleep, and the many areas of life that can be affected by a lack of it.
Topics raised by the founders of the centre, which is a joint venture from medical, industry, union and government groups, include sleep disorders and their associated treatments, health problems that arise from a lack of sleep and problems such as drowsy driving and poor productivity.
“Sleep should not just be seen as something that is a luxury,” said Professor Shantha Rajaratnam, centre leader. “We have a significant challenge to educate the public and make them aware of the importance of healthy sleep practices.”
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