ANDERSON — Getting enough sleep?

A recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that at least 10 percent of adults are getting insufficient rest.

The study, released Oct. 30, notes that 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders and in a state-by-state comparison, West Virginians are the most sleep-deprived Americans.

Dr. Pablo Molina runs the sleep lab at Saint John’s Health System and said losing sleep can be more dangerous than most people think.

“We know that people who sleep less than eight hours every night, those we call ‘short sleepers,’ have higher mortality.”

Lack of sleep can also lead to a compromised immune system, he said.

This could make a person more susceptible to viruses such as seasonal flu and H1N1 flu virus.

Scientists don’t yet understand why it happens, but Molina said sleep deprivation can also lead to weight gain.

A hormone, ghrelin, is released when a person gets insufficient sleep, he said.

This causes an increase in appetite and may lead to overeating.

So, what’s the right amount?

Molina said adults should get no less than eight hours of sleep each night.

That number increases as the age decreases.

School-aged children should get 10 to 11 hours each night and young children should get no less than 12 hours of sleep.

“Sometimes parents don’t realize that if you put them to bed at 10 o’ clock, they are not going to get enough sleep on the school day,” Molina said.