15 March 2024 | NEWS
Sleep may have been getting a bad press lately, but it’s vital nonetheless. World Sleep Day serves as a reminder that we’re not all equal when it comes to sleep. Stress, overwork and anxiety can all be causes of sleep disorders, some more serious than others. Having a good, high-quality bed made from temperature-regulating materials mitigates night-time disturbances and helps you sleep more comfortably.
To find out more, we spoke to Manon André, a historian who has written a paper on ‘children’s sleep patterns in the modern era’ and Sandra Van Den Broecke, senior physician in respiratory medicine and director of the Sleep Centre in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
How has humankind’s relationship with sleep changed through history?
Manon André - We can trace this relationship right back to ancient times; both Aristotle and Galen of Pergamon wrote extensively on the subject, asserting that sleep was a vital requirement to stay in good health. They explained that there needed to be a balance between sleep and wakefulness. Others, however, were suspicious of sleep, seeing it as leading to vulnerability or even death. Aristotle and Galen were more nuanced, pointing to all the benefits of sleep – and the argument’s been going on ever since!
Sandra Van Den Broecke - In our present-day society, we’re living life at full speed; everything moves so fast now, we want time for our leisure activities and needs and so take less and less time for sleep – despite the fact that our sleep requirements haven’t changed at all! Each of us needs at least six hours’ sleep a night; any less can lead to an increase in cardiovascular diseases, exacerbated memory problems, depression and other issues.
At what stage in history did bedrooms become a thing?
MA - Bedrooms first appeared at the end of the Renaissance among the upper classes, but many country-dwellers and poorer people didn’t have their own bedrooms to sleep in until the early twentieth century. Before that, everyone slept in the same room – and often in the same bed.
Sleep is one of the vital needs of our species, on a par with oxygen, water and food. Manon André, do you think everybody should have the use of a basic bed free of charge?
MA - English philosopher and physician John Locke said that sleep was “the great cordial of nature”. He held that nothing was more important than sleep. And of course I too believe it’s important for everybody to have the use of a bed, as well as decent housing, in order to enjoy a good night’s sleep. Sadly, these basic needs are not always met.
How is sleep perceived nowadays?
MA - Clearly, sleep is seen as being far less important than it used to be. At present most people are suffering from a huge sleep deficit because of overwork, the quest for productivity and performance, and so on. In my immediate circle and in society in general I come across many people who don’t sleep more than five or six hours a night.
Does sleep help us make the most of life?
SVDB - I think a good night’s sleep is absolutely essential to enjoying good quality of life!
What about our bed – the piece of furniture we use more than any other in our lives? What roledoes it play in our society?
MA - In Europe, beds are a piece of furniture that we associate with intimacy. The type of intimacy in question has changed over time, of course: back when several people slept in the same bed, it wasn’t intimate as we understand the term today, but the item of furniture itself was no less important for all that; it was a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, handed down from generation to generation.
What’s the relationship between sleep quality and the quality of the bed itself?
SVDB - Sleep quality is affected by a whole range of factors, including external ones. Both lighting and noise can have an impact on sleep quality, and there have been several studies into bed quality. They reveal that there’s a subjective component to sleep quality and unbroken sleep. Of course a good-quality bed can help prevent joint pain; some people prefer harder beds, others prefer their bed to be softer. The main thing is to have a bed made of materials that breathe well: for you to be able to get to sleep easily, your bedroom temperature should be around 18°C.
Does that mean people’s expectations will differ depending on their physiology and tastes? Are bespoke beds the best solution?
SVDB - – Yes, when it comes to beds and bedding, everybody has their own expectations. Each bed and mattress must address the owner’s specific needs. Factors such as backache, your weight and height and your overall comfort mean that ideally, you should choose your very own bed system – a bespoke one if you can.
What do you see as the benefits of World Sleep Day?
SVDB - Probably the fact that it serves as reminder of how important sleep is in an day and age when many people see it as a waste of time; it also raises awareness of sleep medicine. Sleep medicine is quite a recent discipline; specialists from respiratory medicine, neurology and psychiatry have joined forces to work in sleep medicine units, but I think this development is as yet little known. World Sleep Day is also a way of letting people know that sleep disorders can be overcome; solutions exist in most cases.
MA - My research has allowed me to learn a lot about my own sleep; I think World Sleep Day is vital because it gives us a chance to talk about the subject. For instance, it can help people understand that sleeping pills shouldn’t necessarily be the go-to solution for sleep disorders or even insomnia. Before going down that road, it’s worth trying to deal with the cause of the disorder rather than the disorder itself. That involves delving into personal issues, the worries that keep people awake, and of course looking at bed quality.
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