You may associate today with doom and gloom thanks to the Ides of March, but did you know it is also World Sleep Day? Now that’s a holiday I can really get behind.
I used to be a very good sleeper. I was able to fall asleep quickly and sleep through the night without any difficulties. When I was younger I would be able to function on minimal sleep or string together a few hours here and there to be able to keep a fun social calendar. These days I roll my eyes if my friends want to stay out past 8pm. I’ve always been a night owl but I now need a long time to unwind from any sort of activity before trying to fall asleep.
It’s easy to think about sleep from our individual perspectives – we know how much (or how little) we sleep, thoughts or circumstances that keep us from sleeping, and all sorts of data around our own sleep patterns. But the World Sleep Society has collected data on the impact of sleep across different cultures and countries. Their 2024 theme for World Sleep Day is “Sleep Equity for Global Health.” They state:
“Sleep is essential to health, but measurable differences in sleep health persist across populations across the world, creating additional burdens and reinforcing health inequities.”
While I don’t love linking sleep metrics to productivity and GDP loss it may be a critical component toward equity across regions and countries. This link instead brings me back to The Nap Ministry’s framework of “Rest is Resistance,” which we’ve written about before (Tracy, Martha). They state:
“We believe rest is a form of resistance and name sleep deprivation as a racial and social justice issue.”
It may not matter which approach you take, so long as you “celebrate” World Sleep Day by getting some rest. Some ways you could enjoy the day include taking a nap (my personal favorite), practicing good sleep hygiene, or attending a community sleep-in or sleep awareness event.
Which way(s) will you recognize World Sleep Day this year?
Amy Smith is a professor of Media & Communication and a communication consultant who lives north of Boston. Her research interests include gender communication and community building. Amy spends her movement time riding the basement bicycle to nowhere, walking her two dogs, and waiting for it to get warm enough for outdoor swimming in New England.
I didn’t know today was World Sleep Day. And, I didn’t set an alarm this morning, which is not unusual for me (I probably sleep without an alarm 3 mornings a week) and yet it is still always an huge treat. To sleep until I wake!