As the days get warmer and the nights get longer, your sleep pattern may be in flux — if it wasn’t already.
What better time to snuggle back into a satisfying sleep schedule than the celebration of World Sleep Day? For those who drop off in a military minute or if you suffer from a sleep-deprived slump during the day — here’s all you need to know about World Sleep Day 2024.
When is World Sleep Day 2024?
World Sleep Day 2024 takes place on Friday (March 15) — just five days before the spring equinox.
World Sleep Day was first observed in 2008 by the World Sleep Society, previously known as the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM).
The WASM, which promotes sleep health globally, is a non-profit organisation comprising medical professionals and healthcare workers studying sleep medicine and research.
What is the theme of World Sleep Day 2024?
World Sleep Day 2024’s theme will be Sleep Equity for Global Health. As many are well aware, a lack of sleep can affect physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
Sleep is essential to health but differences in it vary worldwide, creating additional burdens and reinforcing health inequities.
World Sleep Day aims to promote the important global message of how vital sleep is to overall health.
“World Sleep Day is the perfect opportunity to combine efforts towards sleep awareness, education, outreach, and community engagement that work toward reducing sleep disparities and ensuring equitable access to healthy sleep for everyone,” said Dr Lourdes DelRosso, co-chair of World Sleep Day.
Dr Fang Han, a fellow co-chair of World Sleep Day, added: “The causes of sleep health disparities warrant careful study. Strategies to lessen these disparities could prove to be a very powerful tool in increasing health and wellness worldwide.”
How can I take part in World Sleep Day 2024?
Various activities, events, and educational programmes are organised to promote healthy sleep habits and address sleep disorders.
Some 62 per cent of adults worldwide were dissatisfied with the amount of sleep they get, according to Philips Global Sleep Survey in 2019. But don’t lose sleep studying the facts — you can get involved by signing up as a delegate or finding an activity on the World Sleep Day website.
Around one-third of sleep disorder sufferers seek professional help. As such, you should see your GP if you struggle with getting quality kip.
How to sleep better
Wind down
Good sleep starts before your head hits the pillow. Building a consistent routine before bedtime can train our bodies to become sleepy at the same time every night. Warm baths and hot drinks can be a great way to soothe your body into sleep mode — but be sure to avoid caffeine before bed.
If your thoughts keep you awake, keeping a diary can help clear your mind so you can think about your to-do list tomorrow.
Keep it consistent
The NHS says setting your internal body clock to a routine can help your body fall asleep more quickly because it expects sleep at a certain time. Building good habits should make sleep come more easily over time.
Tech-no
Stepping away from screens is difficult but rewarding because the blue light emitted from IT devices keeps our brains awake. If the transition is too difficult, try investing in a blue light filter or turning your phone to night mode, where the screen colours are made warmer to filter out blue hues.
Fit and healthy
Adults might like to think they have matured enough not to need to follow a bedtime routine. However, tiring yourself out like an energetic toddler might be the best way to fall asleep when you want.
Doing some vigorous exercise earlier in the day and some light stretches before bed can prepare the body for a night of recovery.
