The Dutch are increasingly concerned about their health. In recent years, for example, we have collectively taken more exercise and eaten more healthily.
Nevertheless, there is an area where public health can still make great strides. A daily activity that we often overlook, but which is at least as important for our health is sleep. We spend a third of our lives asleep.
If you have had a bad night's sleep, the next day you will immediately notice the difference in how you feel, in your mood and how alert you are. Let alone after a prolonged period of little or no sleep.
Sleeping badly has an impact on health. For example, in adults, too little or too much sleep can increase the risk of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, depression and strokes, and can impede daily functioning. This in turn can lead to economic and social costs, for example through absenteeism, reduced school performance and pressure on healthcare services*.
*Strategic foresight study 'Poor sleep: a problem for public health?' by the Trimbos Institute, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Brain Foundation [in Dutch].
