Prioritizing Sleep Health: Public Health Policy Recommendations

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2015

Publication Title

Perspect Psychol Sci

Abstract

The schedules that Americans live by are not consistent with healthy sleep patterns. In addition, poor access to educational and treatment aids for sleep leaves people engaging in behavior that is harmful to sleep and forgoing treatment for sleep disorders. This has created a sleep crisis that is a public health issue with broad implications for cognitive outcomes, mental health, physical health, work performance, and safety. New public policies should be formulated to address these issues. We draw from the scientific literature to recommend the following: establishing national standards for middle and high school start times that are later in the day, stronger regulation of work hours and schedules, eliminating daylight saving time, educating the public regarding the impact of electronic media on sleep, and improving access to ambulatory in-home diagnostic testing for sleep disorders.

Medical Subject Headings

Health Policy; Humans; Public Health; Sleep; Sleep Wake Disorders; United States

PubMed ID

26581727

Volume

10

Issue

6

First Page

733

Last Page

737

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