Sleep depiction in media and periodic limb movement disorder

Sleep in the Media

Sleep Media

As interest in improving the quality of life increases, significant amount of research is being conducted in areas that can help improve the physical, mental and emotional well-being of human beings in an environment where there is constant distraction and a high level of stress. Sleep is an important area that has attracted a lot of attention. It is for this reason that the media has been particularly interested in the research on sleep and has portrayed it in a number of accurate and inaccurate ways for the consumption of the public. This ranges from getting adequate sleep to the best time for sleep in order to maintain productivity throughout the day. A number of remedies to cure sleep problems like insomnia and snoring are also popular occurrences in the media.

Michelson (2011) identifies one such myth that circulates frequently in the mass media. In his research, he tests the claims made in the media that people are sleeping fewer hours than in earlier years. Daylight saving time is usually cited as the reason for this change because the loss of one hour during the day negatively affects sleep patterns. However, the longitudinal research conducted by Michelson on participants from Canada and the United States showed that from 1998 to 2005, sleep time declined by only about 15 minutes.

Moreover, his study revealed that the decline was observed on weekend nights, which is not a significant problem because people normally tend to sleep longer into the day on weekends. Therefore, the popular belief that people have reduced their sleeping hours because of daylight saving time does not hold. It is portrayed in the media because people tend to be confused about the importance of daylight saving time and its effects on their daily routine, productivity and health.

Related to this is another popular sleep-related issue that is targeted at the mass media audience called sleep deprivation. Scientists and common people are concerned about the fewer hours' sleep that people have been getting during the night. Not all of this can be related to insomnia but to lifestyle issues. With so much preoccupation and constant connectivity to information and people through digital devices, people find it increasingly difficult to wind down during the day. Research supports the claims made in the media that people need adequate sleep during the night to have more energy during the day. A number of other health conditions like obesity, heart disease and stress are also discussed as caused by a lack of adequate sleep.

A 2008 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine includes an article by a doctor offering a number of remedies for improving the sleeping patterns of the readers. The article strongly recommends having a siesta whenever possible to compensate for any sleep loss during the night. An important idea of his that is also popular in commercials is the importance of good bedding for a comfortable sleep. Merrell (2008) refers to a German study and Consumer Reports findings to state that a non-allergenic pillow and testing mattresses prior to purchase can improve the quality of sleep. A number of mattress manufacturers have started to emphasize that their mattresses contribute to a longer and more peaceful sleep in their television commercials. Examples are Sleep Cheap Mattresses, Houston Mattresses and others. This shows that the public and mass media are concerned about using better mattresses and pillows to get a more comfortable and relaxing rest at night.

Another popular sleep related issue in the media is obesity caused by sleep deprivation. According to research conducted by Jones, Johnson & Harvey-Berino (2008), a positive association between sleep deprivation and obesity exists. Their study does not prove the causation but shows that shorter sleep durations reduce the levels of the hormones leptin and ghrelin in the body, which may lead to an increase in appetite. The result is the children and adults become obese as a result of staying up long hours. The researchers recommend that television viewing and working at the computer should be reduced during the night so that the brain can prepare for sleep. Since obesity has become a major issue in the United States in recent years, the mass media has been attentive to the relationship between obesity and shorter sleep durations. The result is a plethora of articles on websites and in popular magazines that stress the relationship between sleep duration and obesity. Gardner (2012) quotes research in a CNN article and states that sleep deprivation prevents the effects of healthy diet and lifestyle habits from appearing on the body, with the result that obesity related to genetic factors may become exacerbated. She recommends nine hours of daily sleep to ensure that the benefits of diet and exercise are achieved.