Importance of Sleep

Source-This post on Importance of Sleep has been created based on the article “Why people need to sleep – and how there is profit in that” published in “The Indian Express” on 3 July 2024.

UPSC Syllabus–GS Paper-2– Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context– The article emphasizes the importance of sleep for enhancing performance of Sports person in particular and other professions in general. It also discusses the widespread problem of not getting adequate amount of sleep, its impact on health, and the growing market for products and services related to improving sleep.

There is a well-established connection between sound sleep and improved cellular repair, recovery, and athletic performance. Sleep optimization can provide a crucial advantage in high-level sports where margins are thin.

 What are the reasons behind rising sleep related disorders?

1) Lack of Awarness– Athletes encounter sleep challenges such as competition anxiety and the pressure of the event. There is a lack of knowledge about sleep among athletes.

2) Broader Cultural Context: Sacrificing sleep and working late into the night are common in education, corporate work, and creative fields. Popular culture often promotes these behaviors as crucial for success. Narratives like “burning the midnight oil” are advanced to suggest that sacrificing sleep is essential to achieving goals.

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What are the implications of this trend?

1) Public Health Epidemic-Lack of sleep offers no advantages. In 2014, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) labeled sleep deprivation a “public health epidemic,” connecting it to conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, obesity, and cancer.

1) Commercialization of Sleep-Sleep deprivation has led to the emergence of a new category of products known as “sleep products,” which include items like melatonin strips, gummies, face masks, and eye oils. Companies such as The Sleep Company and Wakefit have capitalized on this trend by offering innovative, technology-based solutions to improve sleep quality.

Question for practice

What are the reasons behind rising sleep related disorders? What are the implications of this trend?