Nationwide Wake-Up Call: New Survey Reveals More than Half of Americans Are Unable to Sleep Throughout the Night

MORRISTOWN, N.J., March 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Results from a new survey are waking Americans up to a widespread health issue – insomnia. Even though 62 percent of Americans regularly suffer from symptoms of insomnia, only 20 percent believe they have the condition and merely 12 percent have been diagnosed by a doctor, according to the America: Insomnia Nation survey supported by Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTX).

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7457751-pernix-silenor-insomnia-survey/

Insomnia is not just the inability to fall asleep. One of the most illuminating findings from the study was that more than half of Americans are unable to stay asleep through the night. The ability to get a full uninterrupted night of sleep has many benefits that empower people on a daily basis and is important to well-being, productivity, memory and other vital functions that keep the body going.

The new survey, which sheds light on the nation's sleep behavior and attitudes toward insomnia and sleeplessness, also uncovered that:  

• On average, nearly three-quarters of Americans (72%) are missing out on almost three weeks of sleep per year (470 hours).
• Many Americans (51%) feel that sleeplessness is glamorized and that successful people like CEOs and government or business leaders get less sleep than the average person. However research proves that a good night's sleep can actually improve performance and spur creativity.ⁱ
• A good night's sleep can positively impact mood (74%) and productivity (70%).
• When it comes to health, happiness and wellbeing, Americans rank getting a good night's sleep second in importance (46%)—just behind spending time with their family (69%).

Fortunately, there are ways to help achieve a good night's sleep, according to Dr. Adam Sorscher, Assistant Professor of Community and Family Medicine at The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

"Following a regular shut-eye strategy like staying away from your cell phone before bed or blocking out light is one of the most critical ways to help you achieve a full night's sleep," said Dr. Sorscher. "But while most Americans acknowledge the importance of a good bedtime routine, only half regularly follow one. And for people with insomnia, practicing a good bedtime routine alone may not even be enough."

The good news is that no one needs to suffer. There are effective treatment options available, including SILENOR®, a prescription sleep aid that is used to treat people with insomnia who have trouble staying asleep. Perhaps most important, it can be used regularly and it's not associated with a risk of abuse or physical dependence.

"Most sleep medications work on the sleep-promoting system, helping patients fall asleep, while SILENOR® works with the wake-promoting mechanism of the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, helping patients stay asleep throughout the night and early morning," according to Dr. Sorscher. "Every person is different and should talk to their healthcare provider about their routine, lifestyle and symptoms to determine the best option for them."            

Additional findings from the "America: Insomnia Nation" survey, including a video and infographic are available here: www.silenor.com/resources.

About Pernix Therapeutics
Pernix Therapeutics is a specialty pharmaceutical business with a focus on acquiring, developing and commercializing prescription drugs primarily for the U.S. market. The Company targets underserved therapeutic areas such as CNS, including neurology and psychiatry, and has an interest in expanding into additional specialty segments. The Company promotes its branded products to physicians through its Pernix sales force, uses contracted sales organizations to market its non-core, cough and cold products, and markets its generic portfolio through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Macoven Pharmaceuticals, LLC and Cypress Pharmaceutical, Inc. To learn more about Pernix Therapeutics, visit www.pernixtx.com.

About SILENOR®
SILENOR® is a prescription sleep medicine that is used to treat people with insomnia who have trouble staying asleep.

Important Safety Information: Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem. Be sure that you are able to devote 7 to 8 hours to sleep before being active again. SILENOR® should be taken within 30 minutes of bedtime. Do not take with alcohol or with other medicines that can make you sleepy. If you are on a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or have taken a MAOI within the past two weeks, you should not take SILENOR®. You should not take SILENOR® if you have an eye problem called narrow angle glaucoma that is not being treated, if you have severe urinary retention, or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in SILENOR®. You should not drive or operate machinery at night after taking SILENOR®. Until you know how you will react to SILENOR®, you should be careful in performing such activities during the day following taking SILENOR®. Before you take SILENOR®, tell your doctor if you have a history of depression, mental illness or suicidal thoughts. You should call your doctor right away if after taking SILENOR® you walk, drive, eat or engage in other activities while asleep. Drowsiness is the most common adverse event observed in clinical trials. For more information, please see the complete Prescribing Information, including the Medication Guide.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.  

About the America: Insomnia Nation Survey
The survey, titled "America: Insomnia Nation," was designed and managed by Edelman Berland and fielded online from December 2^nd-15^th, 2014 among a total of 2,004 U.S. adults ages 18+. Sample was drawn from opt-in market research panels managed by Research Now. The data was weighted to be nationally representative on age, gender, race/ethnicity, region and income. The margin of error is +/- 2.2%.

About Edelman Berland
Edelman Berland is a global, full-service market research firm that provides corporate, non-profit and government clients with strategic intelligence to make their communications and engagements with stakeholders the smartest they can be. The firm specializes in qualitative and quantitative research, measurement, tracking and analysis in reputation, branding and communications.  Edelman Berland is part of Edelman, the world's largest public relations company.  Edelman Berland has more than 100 employees in offices around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.edelmanberland.com.  Edelman Berland: Intelligent Engagement.

Media Relations
Alana Cowan, 212-704-4469 
Edelman Public Relations 
[email protected]

Marianne Lambertson, 800-793-2145 ext. 1012
Vice President, Marketing and Corporate Communications
[email protected]

ⁱ Harvard Health Publications. Learning while you sleep: Dream or reality? http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/learning-while-you-sleep-dream-or-reality. February 1, 2012.

SOURCE Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.pernixtx.com