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World Sleep Day
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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In 2008, the Sleep Medicine Association established World Sleep Day, which has since been celebrated every year in March. This year, the date fell on March 13.
This holiday was specially created to draw attention to the problem of sleep, which is becoming increasingly relevant in the modern world.
Every year the organizers of the holiday hold it under the appropriate theme, this year it was decided to hold World Sleep Day under the slogan "Sound sleep brings health and happiness." On this day, propaganda of high-quality healthy sleep is carried out, various social advertisements are carried out, and meetings and conferences are also organized, at which specialists discuss various issues related to sleep problems and how they affect the life of a person and society.
A person sleeps about 1/3 of his life. There are two phases of sleep - fast and slow, which differ in their functional significance. During sleep, psychological protection, short-term memory volumes, and emotional balance are restored. According to research, a person should sleep at least 7 hours a day, but due to the modern pace of life, more and more people deny themselves this pleasure, which causes chronic sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep accelerates the aging process in the body, negatively affects the functioning of the brain, changes hormonal levels, increases the load on organs, especially the heart.
Constant lack of sleep can provoke problems with excess weight, hypertension, and also increase the risk of developing diabetes.
Sleep disorders can manifest themselves in different ways - insomnia, excessive sleepiness, there is also a sleep disorder (frequent awakenings, inability to fall asleep, etc.). All sleep problems are extremely rarely primary symptoms, usually they are a consequence of the development of a disease.
Sleep problems and treatment methods are studied by specialists - somnologists. In most cases, drug treatment is prescribed, but this method of therapy requires maximum caution and does not tolerate self-medication, since all sleeping pills without exception have side effects, in particular, almost all are addictive.
But before prescribing medication, the specialist will recommend certain rules, the so-called sleep hygiene, which proves effective for many patients.
For a good and complete night's rest, you need to follow a few simple rules, first of all, you need to go to bed and wake up at the same time. A few hours before bed, do not drink strong alcoholic beverages, reduce consumption (or completely stop) of coffee, energy drinks, chocolate, give up smoking, spicy, heavy, fatty foods. Also, to improve the quality of sleep, it is recommended to lead an active lifestyle, perhaps enroll in a gym or, in extreme cases, go for daily walks in the fresh air.
Bed linen, bed, mattress are of no small importance for the quality of sleep. The temperature in the bedroom should be comfortable for you, there should be no extraneous loud sounds and too much light.