Time to 'reclaim the night' for sleep

By Neil Stanley

Shift work can have a particularly detrimental impact on sleep patterns

We all know the health risks of smoking, drinking and eating too much. But sleep expert Neil Stanley says we don't pay attention to the risks of having too little sleep.

In this week's Scrubbing Up health column, he warns it is time to "reclaim the night".

Good sleep is vital for good physical mental and emotional health - but unfortunately we seem to live in a society that has forgotten this fact.

In terms of healthy living, sleep is as important as good diet and exercise.

Poor or inadequate sleep can have serious consequences on overall health and wellbeing and has been shown to lead to lower immunity, poor performance and mood changes.

In the longer term, inadequate sleep is associated with a greater risk of a number of diseases, such as heart disease, depression and diabetes.

There are also important consequences of poor or inadequate sleep which negatively affect the way we feel and perform during the day.

Round the clock

We are living in an increasingly "tired" society. Think about how you feel at the moment with one as very tired and 10 as feeling wide awake. Read more..