Chapter 13 - The healthcare environment: a medical and a public health challenge

Abstract

The concept of sleep health is elusive with countless people perceiving themselves as sleeping too much or too little or not having sufficiently restful sleep. In our rapidly changing world, exposures to disruptors of sleep are ever increasing: exposure to light at night in urban environments, noise, and the sleep-disrupting distraction of mobile phones. For many people, shift work and travel across multiple time zones also contribute to poor sleep. Not surprisingly, sleepiness is common as is difficulty in sleeping satisfactorily. Additionally, there are medically recognized disorders that disturb sleep, most prominently, insufficient sleep, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea. This chapter addresses the healthcare system’s response to problems with sleep, focusing on the broad range of sleep problems that are considered as having adverse consequences. The chapter will provide an overview of the intersection between the healthcare system and sleep health. It covers the range of practitioners, products, and approaches to managing the main sleep problems. The public health response is also addressed. Readers will gain a broad understanding of how people manage their problems with sleep.