Sleep is one of the most important experiences we have as human beings; it is as essential as breathing or eating. However, in recent decades, this has been seen as a waste of time. So much so that society constantly reminds us of it with famous phrases such as "money never sleeps" [1] or "sleep is for the weak" [2].
We have ignored and neglected it for so long that today we begin to see the consequences. For example, 10% of adults and between 25% and 40% of children and adolescents present sleep problems. Such figures are alarming since quality sleep is essential for individuals' physical and mental development, especially in the youngest.
So what to do in the face of this alarming situation? We can always work on prevention and early intervention campaigns. However, one of the best ways to change our sleep habits and develop healthy sleep behaviours is education.
It is surprising that even today - with all the technological and educational resources - sleep is not included in educational curriculums, even when it has been shown that quality sleep facilitates learning processes and improves our productivity, creativity and problem-solving capacity.
The lack of education is of such magnitude that it is evident at all levels. On the one hand, parents don't know how to teach their children to sleep well and establish good sleep habits. Consequently, individuals rarely understand the importance of practicing healthy sleeping habits and meeting an adequate sleep quota, which results in sleep-deprived adults without the necessary skills to recognize this problem and work on it.
On the other hand, professionals working in education settings are beginning to observe and experience first-hand the catastrophic effects of sleep disorders. However, they do not have the necessary tools to identify sleep problems. In addition, even when they can identify them, they do not know how to guide parents and students in solving these problems.
This is why, to reduce the incidence of sleep disorders - especially during the early stages of life - it is essential to teach individuals about the importance of sleep, establish and maintain healthy sleeping habits, and what to do when sleep problems arise.
What do you think about this? Do you believe education could help this issue? Let me know in the comments below.
Citations
«Money never sleeps», Gordon Gekko – Personaje ficticio de Wall Street.
«Sleep is for wimps», Margaret Thatcher – Primera Ministra del Reino Unido (1979 – 1990).
References
Blunden, S.L., Chapman, J. & Rigney, G.A. (2012). Are sleep education programs successful? The case for improved and consistent research efforts. Sleep Medicine Reviews 16, 355e – 370. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2011.08.002
Gruber, R., Somerville, G., Bergmame, L., Fontil, L. & Paquin S. (2016). School-based sleep education program improves sleep and academic performance of school-age children. Sleep Medicine, 21, 93–100. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2016.01.012
TED (Productor). (2013, Junio). Russell Foster: Why do we sleep? [Archivo de video]. Recuperado de https://www.ted.com/talks/russell_foster_why_do_we_sleep