title: Sleep health of Australian adults in 2016: results of the 2016 Sleep Health Foundation national survey.
abstract: To measure the prevalence and social impacts of sleep problems in Australia.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional national adult online survey.
  
  
  
  Community-based sample.
  
  
  
  Australian adults ≥18 years, n=1011.
  
  
  
  Self-reported inadequate sleep, of either duration or quality, and its daytime consequences affect 33%-45% of adults. Diagnosed sleep apnea is reported by 8%, significant insomnia by 20%, and restless legs by18% of adults. Besides specific clinical sleep disorders, poor sleep habits were common. Average reported sleep time is 7 hours, although 12% sleep less than 5½hours and 8% over 9 hours. Three-quarters (76%) of those who sleep less than 5½hours report frequent daytime impairment or sleep-related symptoms. Frequent, loud snoring is reported by 24% of men and 17% of women. Among these, 70% report daytime impairment or other sleep-related symptoms. Twenty-six percent report Internet use most or every night just before bed and frequent sleep difficulties or daytime impairments. Similarly, 16% of working adults do work just before bed and also have frequent sleep difficulties or daytime sleep-related symptoms. Younger adults (18-34 years) sleep around 1 hour longer before non-work days than working days compared with 18 minutes in older age groups. In the past 3 months, 29% of adults report making errors at work due to sleepiness or sleep problems. Driving while drowsy at least every month is reported by 29% of people, 20% have nodded off while driving, and 5% have had an accident in the past year because they dozed off.
  
  
  
  Sleep problems and daytime consequences are endemic among Australian adults. A focus on healthy sleep at a policy level as well as increased clinician and public awareness may be warranted.
authors.affiliation: The Health Observatory, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Campus, Woodville, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: robert.adams@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: The Health Observatory, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Campus, Woodville, South Australia, Australia; Freemason's Centre for Men's Health, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Appleton
authors.affiliation: Population Research & Outcomes Studies, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Population Research & Outcomes Studies, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Tiffany K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: The Health Observatory, Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Campus, Woodville, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Adelaide Institute of Sleep Health: A Flinders Centre of Research Excellence, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: R Douglas
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: McEvoy
authors.affiliation: Adelaide Institute of Sleep Health: A Flinders Centre of Research Excellence, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Nick A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Antic
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000066477:Work Performance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cross-sectional surveys; Epidemiology; Restless legs syndrome; Sleep; Sleep apnea; Sleep initiation and maintenance disorders; Snoring