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How Does Sleep Health Affect Public Health?

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Sleep is an important part of life; it is the time when the mind can relax and the body gets busy fighting infections and rejuvenating for the following day. As recommended by doctors and sleep professionals a person needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep a day while children, adolescents and elderly are recommended to get more. Sleep health consist of the quality and duration a person gets each night. Sleep health for many people is not easily obtained; technology, anxiety, stress, work, family, and financial issues can interrupt it. Some suffer from Sleep disorders and some simply do not have time for sleep, nonetheless, these interruptions are causing people to suffer mentally and physically. According to Healthy people 2020, “Poor sleep health is …show more content…

The public health burden of chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders, coupled with low awareness of poor sleep health among the general population, health care professionals, and policymakers, necessitates a well-coordinated strategy to improve sleep-related health.” Poor sleep health has become an issue for public health because it increases a persons chances of developing chronic diseases and has an impact on a persons ability to drive and function …show more content…

As stated before children especially need ample amount of sleep. According to Gerber, Lois in the article, “Sleep deprivation in children: A growing public health concern (2014)” “Children ages 5 to 10 years old need 10 to 11 hours of sleep; those ages 10 to 17 years old require 8.5 to 9.25 hours.” Lack of sleep in children can compromise physical and mental health and can disrupt standard growth and development. Children as well as adults can suffer from sleep loss for many determinants, some are from breathing difficulties like sleep disorder breathing (SDB) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and others are from stress, anxiety and mood disorders. One contribution that can help children gain enough sleep is to have public school start at a later time. It is difficult for children to get the right amount of sleep when school starts around 7 am and they have to wake up at 6 or even 5 am to have enough time to get ready for school. For a child to get enough sleep and still wake up at 5 am would mean that they would have to be in bed and asleep by 7 – 7:30 pm. This does not leave the child a lot of time to do homework, play after school sports, and spend quality family time. Studies are currently being done to show

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