Dr. Chandra Launches Effort to Help the Community Weather Troubled Economy by Getting More Restful Sleep

March 1: National Study Shows Economy Increasing Sleep Disorders
March 6: Dr. Chandra Open House in Newly Enlarged Sleep Center
March 8: Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 1-8: National Sleep Awareness Week

(March 1) — With the release of a national poll showing that the troubled economy is causing increased sleep disorders, local sleep specialist Dr. Anuj Chandra is opening his recently expanded Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders to the community for one day.

Results of the National Sleep Foundation’s 2009 Sleep in America Poll, which were released today, show that almost one third of Americans are losing sleep due to concerns about their personal finances and the U.S. Economy.

* Almost one-third (27%) say their sleep has been disturbed at least a few nights a week in the past month due to personal financial concerns (16%), the U.S. economy (15%), and/or employment concerns (10%).

* Surprisingly, other national and global issues are affecting their sleep to a much lesser extent: healthcare costs (8%), the war in Iraq or Afghanistan (6%), global warming/environment (3%), and/or the threat of terrorism (3%).

* More than half of people (54%) losing sleep over economic concerns also had difficulty with their feelings at least a few days a week in the last month.

In an effort to help people cope with the bad economy, Dr, Chandra invites anyone in the community to come to the Center and discuss their sleep issues with him and his staff on Friday, March 6, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Center is located at 6073 East Brainerd Road.

“We’ve seen a big surge in insomnia because of the economy,” said Dr. Chandra. “When people are worried and stressed, the first thing affected is sleep. In hard times, it’s even more important to address sleep problems, because when people are rested, they are better able to cope with stress.”

Dr. Anuj Chandra’s Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders, now in its fourth year of operation, recently completed an expansion that has more than doubled its capacity to provide diagnostic testing and treatment for sleep disorders, adding four testing rooms for a total of seven and increasing the Center’s footprint from 1,800 to over 4,000 square feet.

Poll results are being released during National Sleep Awareness Week March 1-8, a public education, information, and awareness campaign by the National Sleep Foundation that coincides with the return of Daylight Saving Time on March 8, the annual “springing forward” of clocks that can cause Americans to lose an hour of sleep.

Additional results of the Sleep in America poll include:

* The number of people reporting sleep problems has increased 13% since 2001. In the past eight years, the number of Americans who sleep less than six hours a night jumped from 13% to 20%, and those who reported sleeping eight hours or more dropped from 38% to 28%.

* About 40% of Americans agree that sleep is as important as diet and exercise to overall health and well-being; yet, only 32% of Americans who report sleep problems discuss them with their doctor.

* Lack of sleep is creating a major public safety problem as well—drowsy driving. The 2009 poll finds that more than one-half of adults (54%) – potentially 110 million licensed drivers– have driven when drowsy at least once in the past year. Nearly one-third of drivers polled (28%) say that they have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving a vehicle.

Dr. Anuj Chandra is a board certified sleep specialist who treats patients in the Chattanooga area and trains physicians internationally. He is also affiliated with several other local area hospitals and is available for consultation there. The Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders — located at 6073 East Brainerd Road — offers state-of-the-art sleep diagnostic testing in a home-like setting built in a converted house, and treatment for sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, and others. More information can also be obtained on the Center’s web site at www.sleepforhealth.org.

The National Sleep Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting sleep-related education, research and advocacy.