A Troubling Correlation: Firearm Deaths and Insufficient Sleep in America
In response to an increase in the frequency of homicides and mass shootings in America, the topic of gun violence is an important subject to discuss and analyze. There are many factors that may lead to gun violence, and some are clearer than others. Issues contributing to the problem include, mental health issues, easy access to firearms, and social inequality. These factors have a pretty obvious correlation to gun violence and get the bulk of the attention in discussions today about guns in the US. According to my analysis, there is another factor that is leading to an increase in gun violence in America, A lack of sleep. By using public data surrounding sleep and gun deaths, my analysis identified a positive correlation between gun violence and insufficient sleep. The analysis suggests that addressing sleep issues could be a strategy in preventing gun violence.
In understanding the relationship between firearm deaths and insufficient sleep, we need to understand the scope of the issue. With data from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the year 2019, there were 39,707 firearm deaths in the US. This number puts the firearm death rate at 12 per 100,000. This rate increased from 2018 and has been increasing for successive years. During this same time, research shows that many Americans are not getting enough sleep. With data from the National Sleep Foundation, around 35% of adults in the US are getting less than seven hours of sleep per night, which is the recommended sleeping time for most adults. This phenomenon puts millions of American adults at risk of experiencing the effects of sleep deprivation.
How are sleep and gun violence related?
Lack of sleep may impair judgement and increase the risk for impulsive behavior. This may lead to the improper use of firearms and result in violence. The research has shown that a lack of sufficient sleep may lead to emotional and cognitive impairments. These impairments include increased irritability, slower reaction time, and decreased attention. These issues can be worse and compound in individuals who are constantly sleep deprived, such as people with sleep disorders or people who work long hours. A main factor in determining why sleep deprivation may lead to gun violence, is that a lack of sleep can exacerbate pre-existing mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Sleep deprivation may also impact the safety of firearm handling. According to a study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a lack of sleep increases the chances an individual will mis-handle a firearm and engage in unsafe practices, such as pointing a loaded gun at themself or others. This may be due to the fact that sleep deprivation can decrease awareness of surroundings and impair motor skills. These issues may lead to unintentional shootings and accidents. I believe the main factor that led me to identifying a positive correlation between insufficient sleep and gun deaths unfortunately relates to suicide. About half of all gun deaths in the United States can be attributed to suicide. This is extremely concerning due to the fact that sleep deprivation may increase the risk of impulsive self-harm. I believe that these are the main factors that led into my analysis and why I was able to identify a positive correlation between insufficient sleep and gun deaths in America. The correlation identified between sleep deprivation and gun deaths has a positive R-value of 0.288.
What steps can be taken to address this problem?
One strategy would be to raise awareness about how important it is for adults to sleep a minimum of seven hours per day. This may involve education campaigns directed at higher risk groups such as shift workers, and young adults like college students who may value social activities over sleeping. Employers could also provide accommodations for employees with sleep issues such as a flexible schedule. This may also improve safety and productivity within the job. Another important strategy would be to address the underlying causes of insufficient sleep. These include mental health problems, and a big factor is stress. Chronic stress may lead to insomnia which can exacerbate the effects of sleep deprivation. Promoting stress relieving techniques such as exercise and meditation may improve sleep and reduce the risk of gun violence or gun-related accidents.
In conclusion, there is a correlation between firearm deaths and insufficient sleep in the US. This correlation may not be entirely causal; however this troubling relationship deserves more attention. The topic of gun violence in the US is a complex and multifaceted issue but it is clear that a lack of sleep can increase the risk for gun violence or a gun related accident. By promoting healthy sleep and addressing the causes of sleep deprivation, we may be able to slightly reduce the amount of gun deaths in America.