Sleep Management Promotes Healthy Lifestyle, Mental Health, QOL, and a Healthy Brain

Introduction

Many recent surveys in Japan have reported that one in three Japanese elderly individuals and one in five Japanese adults and students suffer from insomnia. Insomnia is becoming a serious social problem; insomnia is listed as one of the refractory diseases of the 21st century. It has been observed that today's adolescents and children have nocturnal lifestyles and sleep for few hours. The percentage of pupils who experience insufficient sleep is 59% for those in elementary school, 67% for those in junior high school students,74% for those in high school. These percentages increase throughout the school year, and they exceeded the 55.6% of adults who reported sleep insufficiency. The effects of a lack of sleep or sleep disorder on brain function include decreased memory and learning functions (Bonnet, 1994), and lower powers of attention and concentration (Drake, et al.2001). To ensure proper sleep practices, correct knowledge about sleep is important. Moreover, proper sleeping habits are important. Recently, several non- pharmacological treatments have been shown to improve sleep.

The objectives of this chapter are to provide an overview of the effect of sleep management using sleep education and cognitive-behavioral interventions that aim to improve sleep-related habits, the quality of sleep, and health.