What is sleep?

Sleep is the regular period in every 24 hours when we are unconscious and unaware of our surroundings. In humans, sleep is usually one consolidated period occurring at night. Sleep provides important rest and restoration for the mind and the body; however the brain is very active during certain periods of sleep. Emerging science and advances in technology are now allowing us to examine sleep at a level of detail never before possible. In addition to documenting the more obvious consequences of poor sleep, scientists are increasingly exploring what happens during sleep at the neurological and physiological level. And what they're recognizing is that sleep provides more benefits than previously thought and is absolutely crucial to promoting health and bodily function.

Unfortunately, sleep is sometimes given a low priority in modern life, taking a back seat to our busy schedules and lifestyles. Each year, millions of people suffer from chronic sleep disorders, and are troubled by transient or occasional sleep problems. These disorders account for an estimated $16 billion in medical costs alone in the US, wreaking havoc on people's work lives, driving, and social activities. The most prevalent sleep disorders include insomnia, restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea, narcolepsy and parasomnia.

Yet, as scientists in the field of sleep medicine continue to discover, sleep is a dynamic activity in its own right that is as essential to good health as diet and exercise, and as necessary for survival as food and water. Sleep research continues to expand and attract more notice from scientists and clinicians alike. However, more research and public education are needed to make sleep a top health priority. As one of the most crucial, yet most overlooked, indicators of overall health, it is important that doctors begin an ongoing dialogue with their patients about sleep.