“Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care… sore labour’s bath, balm of hurt minds… chief nourisher in life’s feast”. I studied Macbeth at school, and it was one of my favourite topics. We had to learn pages and pages of quotes off by heart, and while the vast majority seemed to be instantly wiped from my memory, as soon as the exams were over, this is one that has stayed with me.
One of the few things that hasn’t changed since Shakespeare’s time is our inevitable need for sleep, and how much better it can make us feel. Despite all of our advancements in medical knowledge and technology, there is still no substitute. In fact, better scientific knowledge has only served to highlight just how important sleep is – a fact that is still not really recognised today.
Sleep is still seen by many as a “waste of time”, and going without it is often considered a positive thing – because you stayed up late working or studying, or got up early to go for a run or get a head start on some chores for example. But those who suffer a lack of sleep – including new parents, or those with insomnia – know all too well how precious it is. A few years ago a popular book about the subject, “Why We Sleep”, by Professor Matthew Walker, opened some conversations about its importance, but on the whole, attitudes have not changed.
Stress can often lead to difficulty sleeping, and I have discussed ways to try and improve sleep, and the concept of good “sleep hygiene”, with many of you. One important and more general thing that needs to change is our attitude to sleep – recognising it as essential for both day-to-day functioning and long-term health. Time spent sleeping, or trying to get to sleep, is incredibly valuable, and should never be seen as a waste.
As Matthew Walker writes: “Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day […] unfortunately, the real evidence that makes clear all of the dangers that befall individuals and societies when sleep becomes short have not been clearly telegraphed to the public. It is perhaps the most glaring omission in the contemporary health conversation.”