Abstract
Although sleep is crucial for mental and physical health, insufficient sleep is a
growing problem in our modern society. In general, adults need approximately eight
hours of sleep per night, but this is often unfeasible nowadays. This sleep restriction
has been observed, and it has worsened, throughout the past two centuries; therefore,
it is more attributed to socioeconomic changes than to biological adaptations. The
most important factors to contribute to this sleep restriction were the popularization
of artificial light and industrialization. The present manuscript briefly overviews,
from a socioanthropological perspective, the reasons why sleep has been impacted,
disclosing its effects on individuals and on society.
Keywords
sleep - sleep restriction - population - circadian rhythm - health - society
