Today, March 13, 2015, World Sleep Day is being celebrated all over the globe. This annual event is a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep. This year’s theme is “When Sleep Is Sound, Health and Happiness Abound,” focusing on insomnia and several other sleep-related messages.
Sound Sleep—How do you know if you’re getting sound sleep?
If you are breathing well, dreaming well, and resting well, your sleep will be continuous and uninterrupted, deep and of adequate length, resulting in restorative sound sleep. If all of these are achieved, you should feel alert and rested throughout the day.
If you have the inability to sleep or have habitual sleepiness, you may have insomnia, which can affect every aspect of your life.
Health Abounds
People with any level of insomnia may not realize all of the health risks that can result from sleeplessness. There is a higher risk of cardiovascular issues, as well as cognitive and memory deficits; children with insomnia may have learning disabilities and suffer behavioral problems.
Individuals who struggle with getting an entire night’s sleep without any interruptions also experience higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic illnesses.
Happiness Abounds
Studies have shown that people with insomnia suffer from more symptoms of anxiety and depression than people without insomnia. The quality of sleep can disturb day to day mood and affect relationships depending on how you socially interact and perform your daily activities. With better sleep, life will result in a happier life for yourself and also for your colleagues, family, and friends. It will also help prevent the aggravation of mental health illnesses.
World Sleep Day is organized by the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), an international association whose mission is to advance sleep health worldwide.
