World Sleep Day is
organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society, which is
based in Rochester, Minnesota, USA. The World Sleep Society consists of individual
members and societies from more than 76 countries around the world.
The major objective
of the 2020 World Sleep Day is to reduce the burden of sleep-related problems
in society through better prevention and treatment of
World Sleep Day was
initiated by a dedicated group of like-minded health experts from around the
globe, specializing in sleep medicine and sleep research. The first World Sleep
Day was celebrated on 14
. The primary goal of the first World Sleep Day was to bring together
world-renowned sleep experts to discuss, deliberate, and disseminate
sleep-related information from their respective countries among the global
health community. The co-chairs of the first World Sleep Day were Dr. Liborio
Parrino from the University of Parma, Italy and Professor Antonio Culebras from
Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA.
Sleep is a basic
human need, similar to eating and drinking, and is essential for overall health
and wellbeing. Over one-third of the lifetime of humans is spent sleeping.
Sleep restriction or
,
both in the long-term as well as in the short-term.
Short-term effects
include a reduction in attention span, memory recall, and learning ability.
Long-term effects include the development of
diabetes,
obesity, and some types of cancer. It also significantly
weakens the immune system, thereby increasing the chances of acquiring
infectious diseases.
Lack of sleep can also lead to various types of
psychiatric disorders, such as
anxiety,
depression,
and
psychosis. Moreover, disruption of sleep from conditions
such as
obstructive sleep apnea
(OSA)can have negative effects on daily activities, family life,
relationships, work performance, and social interaction.
Therefore,
good quality sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy
life. In this regard, the three elements of good quality sleep that
should be kept in mind include the following:
- Depth:
Sleep should be deep enough to be restorative
- Duration:
The length of sleep should be optimal - not too long, not too short
- Continuity:
Sleep should be sound and without any breaks/fragmentation
Sleep: Facts & Figures
Ways to Increase Sleep Awareness on World
Sleep Day
There are many ways
to increase sleep awareness, some of which are highlighted below:
- Disseminating
Knowledge: Educating the general public about the importance of sleep
and associated sleep disorders through widespread knowledge dissemination
will go a long way towards awareness generation
- Offering
Free Consultations: Free medical consultations can be provided by
sleep clinics to advise patients having sleep disorders about medications
and other aspects related to sleep
- Posting on
Social Media: Information about sleep can be posted on social media
platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, using the
hashtag #WorldSleepDay. This will ignite interest among the members of
these social media platforms
- Spreading
the Message by Word-of-Mouth: Talking to people can create a better
impact than most other means of communication as it involves direct human
interaction. Explaining the importance of a good night's sleep among friends,
family, and colleagues can make a lasting impression
- Writing
Newspaper Articles: Writing feature articles, editorials, op-eds, and
other informative news items will highlight the importance of sleep and
generate interest among the masses
- Delivering
Popular Talks: Public lectures by eminent sleep experts is an
effective way of enlightening the general public about the crucial role
played by sleep in maintaining overall health
- Participating
in an Event: Joining an event organized on the occasion of World Sleep
Day would make people cognizant about sleep problems and how to manage
them through behavioral and lifestyle changes
- Encouraging
Fundraising Activities: Fundraising through sponsorship of sporting
events or sale of merchandise related to World Sleep Day, among other
activities will not only raise awareness, but also generate money for the
care of patients suffering from sleep disorders
Sleep Research: Latest Findings
Sleep research will
help to gain a better understanding of sleep disorders and how to go about
developing effective treatments to reduce the global burden of these disorders.
Some of the latest findings arising from sleep research are highlighted below:
- Multiple nights of sleep restriction leads to a
reduction in working memory, sustained attention and speed of processing
thoughts
- 6 hours of sleep for 2 weeks or total sleep deprivation
for 2 nights may produce the same degree of attention deficiency
- In simulated real-world scenarios, experimentally
induced sleep deprivation increases risk-taking behavior
- Quality of sleep is more
important than the quantity of sleep for having a better quality of life
and daytime functioning
- A study conducted in 409 medical schools in 12
countries revealed that the average time spent on sleep education was only
2.5 hours
- Population-based studies involving 500,000 adults
and 28,000 children have revealed that short
sleep duration is a modifiable risk factor for obesity
- Individuals getting better quality sleep are
perceived to be more:
- Attractive
- Alert
- Active
- Youthful
- Just 1 night of poor-quality sleep negatively
impacts:
- Attention span
- Memory recall
- Learning ability
- Routine sleep without interruption leads to lower
rates of:
Health Tips for Getting a Good Night's
Sleep
Some useful tips
for better night-time sleep are given below:
- Establish a regular bedtime and waking time
- Regulate your alcohol intake
- Avoid
caffeine at least 2-3 hours before bedtime
- Watch your workout routine
- Make sure your bed is comfortable and conducive to
sleep
- Regulate the room temperature and humidity to encourage
sleep
- Cut out the noise and dim the lights to induce
sleep
- Keep electronic devices and gadgets
away from your bedside
On this World Sleep
Day, let us make a good decision to catch some
extra Zzz's in order to live a happy, healthy and disease-free life.
References : - World Sleep Day is March 13, 2020 - (https://worldsleepday.org/)
- Sleep Research - (https://worldsleepday.org/sleep-research)
- Toolkit for World Sleep Day - (https://worldsleepday.org/toolkit)
- World Sleep Day - (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Sleep_Day)
Source: Medindia
