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Insomnia and lost productivity among young adults: there is still much work to do

Alan Young and Denise O'Driscoll
Med J Aust 2023; 219 (3): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.52025
Published online: 7 August 2023

Insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea, and restless legs syndrome are the most frequent sleep disorders in Australia, together affecting almost half of all middle‐aged people.1 These conditions cost the Australian economy an estimated $11 billion per year in lost work productivity, comprising both absenteeism (absence from work) and presenteeism (people present at work but not fully functional).2 Less is known about the impact of sleep disorders on productivity in younger adults. The study by Reynolds and colleagues in this issue of the Journal3 fills an important gap in understanding how sleep disorders affect the productivity of young working adults.


  • 1 Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2 Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, VIC


Correspondence: alan.young@monash.edu

Correspondence: alan.young@easternhealth.org.au


Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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