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The
years since release of the original National Sleep Disorders
Research Plan in 1996 have been remarkably eventful not only
in terms of progress in the sleep sciences, but also in terms
of lifestyle and activities of daily life that impact on sleep
habits and behaviors. America is increasingly becoming a 24-hour
per day society with ever-escalating expectations for around-the-clock
services, information and entertainment. After the events of
September 11th, 2001, we have also become a much more vigilant
society. All of these lifestyle changes are directly impacting
not only the number of hours Americans sleep each day but also
when during the 24 hours that sleep occurs.
We are now beginning
to understand the impact of chronic sleep loss or sleeping at
adverse circadian times on our ability to function optimally
and on our physical and mental health. How sleep loss, sleep
displacement (e.g., shift work, jet lag), and
a wide range of sleep disorders affect one's ability to maintain
health and healthy functioning in this 24/7 world, however,
remains relatively poorly understood. Thus, despite the scientific
progress made since 1996 in both clinical and basic science
related to sleep and its disorders, there remains the challenge
and the need to discover the functions of sleep, to understand
and develop better treatments for the many disorders affecting
sleep, and to explain the nature of human physiology during
wakefulness and the individual stages of sleep. Without progress
in these areas, countless millions will continue to suffer the
consequences of dysfunction and abuse of this most basic regulatory
process. Progress in every area cannot be included in this Executive
Summary, but the most important gains in knowledge and understanding
will be discussed to provide a context for the research recommendations
that follow.
The scientific areas
most important in extending and translating the research gains
made to date are summarized in the following paragraphs. The
order in which they are listed does not reflect any prioritization;
indeed, these individual recommendations are all important and
of equivalent high priority. |
