Connections Between Sleep, Health, and Disease

Sleep plays a critical role in health and well-being by helping maintain optimal physiological and cognitive function and influencing host metabolism and immunity. The relationship between sleep and health is complex, but many adults who average less than seven hours per night are more likely to develop a chronic condition. Poor sleep quality is also associated with a higher rate of depressive symptoms. In some cases, achieving restorative sleep can seem difficult; the statistics below highlight the impact of sleep-related dysfunction and offer key techniques for improving sleep practices.