A story on the science of sleep in Scientific America highlights the important role sleep plays in an array of physical and psychological processes, according to The Huffington Post.
The cover story, written by Harvard sleep researcher Robert Stickgold, dives into the latest research on sleep, a part of our daily routine that is both a biological necessity and a key component of health and well-being. Sleep is critical to hormone regulation, immune system function, learning and memory, and nervous system function, among other processes.
As Stickgold notes, while scientists know more and more about the importance of sleep, Americans are actually getting less shuteye each night — and this is becoming a serious public health concern.
“Given all the latest research … skimping on sleep is looking like a worse and worse strategy for dealing with the demands of daily life,” Stickgold warns.
