What is Sleep Awareness Week?
Sleep Awareness Week was launched in 1998 and is the National Sleep Foundation’s public education campaign with the aim to spread awareness about the importance of sleep as it relates to physical and mental health. This year, Sleep Awareness week will fall on Sunday, March 13th through Saturday, March 19th. Prepare your pillows and blankets!
The Importance of Sleep.
Many of us don’t recognize the importance of sleep until we discover the difficulties we face when we are sleep deprived. We may not acquire enough sleep due to staying up late cramming for an exam, staying up late to finish work, or struggling with sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea. Lack of sleep tampers with our mood, memory, and health in very impactful ways. In terms of mood and mental health, studies have discovered that lack of sleep induces heightened levels of anxiety (Pires, 2016). Without adequate sleep, we can’t form or maintain new memories (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2019). Studies have found that lack of sleep can impact our neurocircuitry in a way that leads us to select foods that are high in calories and carbohydrates, thus triggering weight gain and increasing risk of obesity (Greer, Goldstein, & Walker, 2013). Lack of sleep has been found to weaken our immune systems as well (National Sleep Foundation, 2020).
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the amount of recommended sleep per day is as follows: 14 to 17 hours for newborns 0-3 months old, 12 to 15 hours for newborns 4-11 months old, 11 to 14 hours for toddlers ages 1-2 years old, 10 to 13 hours for children 3-5 years old, 9 to 11 hours for children ages 6-13 years old, 8 to 10 hours for teenagers 14-17 years old, 7 to 9 hours of sleep for adults 18-64 years old, and 7 to 8 hours for individuals over the age of 65 (2020). Though more research needs to be conducted to research why we need sleep as well as the benefits of adequate sleep, we do know that a healthy amount of sleep is critical for “brain plasticity,” which describes our brain’s capability to adapt to input from the world around us; additionally, sleep is researched to promote the removal of our brain cells’ waste products (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2021).
Online Resource
- The National Sleep Foundation Website – provides sleep education and opportunities for advocacy.
- Sleep Hygiene Tips from the CDC – provides tips on how to get a better night’s sleep, often referred to as “sleep hygiene.”
References
Greer, S., Goldstein, A., & Walker, M. (2013). The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23922121/.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2021). The science of sleep: Understanding what happens when you sleep. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2019). Brain basics: Understanding sleep. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/understanding-Sleep.
National Sleep Foundation. (2020). How much sleep do you really need? National Sleep Foundation. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.thensf.org/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need/.
Pires, G.N., et al. (2016). Effects of acute sleep deprivation on state anxiety levels: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep medicine. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27810176/.