Sleep epidemiology
Sleep epidemiology is an emerging branch of the discipline of epidemiology.[1] It is a growing field of scientific enquiry, with a history of research since the 1980s, with the first documented modern epidemiological survey being conducted in 1979 [2].
There is extensive interest in sleep research in the UK, Europe and worldwide. In the UK this manifests itself in research centres which often have sleep labs where the sleep patterns and conditions of individuals can be observed, as well as the effect of various treatments. Similarly assessment and treatment of sleep disorders is evident health care and clinical centres, sometimes in partnership with universities.
Introduction
There is growing recognition of the importance of sleep on our health and wellbeing.[3] The field of research into sleep has been mostly lead by the discipline of psychology, focussing for example on rapid eye movement sleep and dreaming and memory consolidation studies. Clinical and medical professionals have taken less interest in the causes and consequences of good and poor sleep. It is often used as a sign of existing disease, such as Depression (mood). More recently Pulmonology has developed methods for identifying sleep-disordered breathing, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
As a consequence the field of sleep medicine has become an increasingly popular sub-specialty of medicine. Sleep epidemiology provides data on the incidence and prevalence of good and poor sleep. This is then followed by evidence for the causes and consequences of the quantity and quality of sleep in the population. Studies provide the direction for research into interventions on sleep to improve health and well being. The USA dominates in this field.
Related fields
Sleep epidemiology draws upon fields such as: sleep medicine, statistics, psychology, epidemiology, economics, biology, and mathematics
Journals
- Stanford Journal of Sleep Epidemiology [1]
See also
References
- ^ Jane E Ferrie, Meena Kumari, Paula Salo, Archana Singh-Manoux, and Mika Kivimäki Sleep epidemiology—a rapidly growing field Int. J. Epidemiol. (2011) 40 (6): 1431-1437 doi:10.1093/ije/dyr203
- ^ Bixler EO, Kales A, Soldatos CR, Kales JD, Healey S. Prevalence of sleep disorders in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Am J Psychiatry. 1979 Oct;136(10):1257-62
- ^ Sleep epidemiology 30 years later: where are we? Ohayon MM, Guilleminault C, Chokroverty S. Sleep Med. 2010 Dec;11(10):961-2