{"id":1498,"date":"2021-10-20T12:28:08","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T12:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/?p=1498"},"modified":"2021-10-28T17:29:39","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T17:29:39","slug":"sleep-has-been-declared-a-biological-necessity-this-is-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/2021\/10\/20\/sleep-has-been-declared-a-biological-necessity-this-is-why\/","title":{"rendered":"Sleep Has Been Declared a Biological Necessity\u2014It’s Time for a Change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This past June, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), an organization dedicated to advancing sleep care and enhancing sleep health, declared<\/a> that sleep is a biological necessity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is the position of the AASM that sleep is essential to health, and we are urging educators, health care professionals, government agencies, and employers to prioritize the promotion of healthy sleep,\u201d AASM President, Dr. Kannan Ramar states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The declaration, which was written by members of the 2020-2021 AASM Board of Directors and has been endorsed by more than 25 relevant organizations, explains that there is a lack of sleep education at the medical-education levels, resulting in sleep being left out of many patient-practitioner conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a hazard, not only to public safety, but to personal safety as well. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Importance of Sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to AASM\u2019s statement<\/a>, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine<\/em> (JCSM), healthy sleep is vital for people of all ages. Healthy sleep routines help regulate cognitive function, mood, mental health, and cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and metabolic health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we don\u2019t have a healthy sleep routine, we are at a higher risk of mortality and other medical issues, which then places a burden on our personal health, and society as a whole. These medical issues include, but are not limited to, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what is considered healthy sleep? On average, adults should get 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night. Quality sleep is defined as experiencing limited disturbances throughout the night, allowing us to successfully have several complete sleep cycles. According to the Sleep Foundation<\/a>, the average person goes through 4-6 sleep cycles a night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During these sleep cycles, our body and brain are given the time and resources needed to recover and develop. Sufficient sleep allows the body to reach peak cognitive and physical function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we receive inadequate sleep, issues such as reduced emotional competency, impaired problem-solving abilities, memory difficulties, and the exacerbation of mental health ailments can become evident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As outlined by AASM\u2019s statement, there are significant portions of the population that are receiving an inadequate amount of sleep:<\/p>\n\n\n\n