NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

SleepQuest Describes Corporate Cost of Poor Sleep

Dr. Dement focuses his presentations on demonstrating that sleep is just as important as diet and exercise for overall health, a factor often overlooked. "The main idea that I try to get across in these seminars is to relate the way you feel to how you sleep," said Dr. Dement. "If you are feeling drowsy and sluggish from a lack of restful sleep, that is a sign that something could be dangerously wrong."

Amgen approached SleepQuest and Dr. Dement for this lunchtime seminar in order to help improve employee productivity and reduce absenteeism expenses. Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders are estimated to cost over $100 billion annually in lost productivity, sick leave, medical expenditures, and related issues.

"Since many employers are self-insured, decreasing the cost of health care and keeping people working productively is very important to corporations," said Robert Koenigsberg, President/CEO, SleepQuest. "Presentations like these help educate their employees on the importance of restorative sleep."

The understanding of how sleep affects our daily lives is coming into greater focus. Stanford researchers have found that people with mild to moderate sleep apnea scored as poorly on reactiontime tests as legally intoxicated subjects. Studies show a link between inadequate sleep and obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and depression.

The webinar presentation reached Amgen employees right at their desktops, greatly broadening the number of possible viewers. Employees were also encouraged to take an online sleep health questionnaire to identify possible problems, and over 550 have participated.

It is SleepQuest's continuing mission to promote the crucial role that sleep plays in optimal health. To request a SleepQuest wellness seminar for your company call 800-813-8358, email contact@sleepquest.com, or visit http://www.sleepquest.com.

SOURCE SleepQuest