Why sleep still isn’t taken seriously enough—even on World Sleep Day

19 March 2025

Why sleep still isn’t taken seriously enough—even on World Sleep Day

For 16 years, World Sleep Day has been raising awareness about the importance of sleep health—this year it fell on March 14. Yet sleep remains an undervalued aspect of wellbeing in many parts of the world. While efforts to highlight the critical role of sleep have expanded to over 70 countries, new analysis reveals that certain regions are still underrepresented in global sleep health initiatives—and Australia is one of them.

Despite growing recognition of the role sleep plays in mental and physical health, it still doesn’t receive the same attention as diet, exercise, and other preventive health measures. Poor sleep is linked to increased risks of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, yet sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. Chronic sleep deprivation has become the norm for many Australians, with long working hours, screen exposure, and lifestyle pressures contributing to a culture where rest is often sacrificed.

World Sleep Day was launched in 2008 as a global initiative to put sleep health on the public agenda. Over the past decade, participation has grown significantly, with more than 2,000 awareness activities recorded across countries. In Europe, the number of World Sleep Day events increased from 24 to 132 between 2014 and 2024, and in Asia, the figure jumped from 10 to 94. However, the latest data shows that Australia—and the broader Oceania region—lags behind. Africa and Oceania have some of the lowest participation rates in World Sleep Day initiatives, with fewer events and less engagement compared to other parts of the world. This suggests that sleep health is still not being prioritised in public health discussions at the same level as other health issues.

One of the key barriers to greater awareness is the lack of integration between sleep and broader healthcare campaigns. Unlike global health initiatives such as World Mental Health Day or World Heart Day, which are backed by strong government and NGO support, sleep awareness efforts have largely relied on grassroots advocacy and volunteer organisers. Without widespread institutional support, it has been difficult to scale up engagement and integrate sleep into national health priorities. Another challenge is cultural attitudes towards sleep. In many high-pressure work and study environments, there is a prevailing mindset that sleep is a luxury rather than a necessity, with long hours often seen as a sign of productivity and dedication rather than a risk to health.

To improve awareness and participation, targeted strategies are needed. Stronger partnerships with health organisations, universities, and government bodies could help embed sleep into broader health campaigns. Culturally tailored messaging could also make a difference, particularly in workplaces and schools, where education around sleep hygiene could have a long-term impact. Expanding the reach of digital campaigns and sleep-related health initiatives, as well as increasing training for healthcare professionals to identify and address sleep disorders, could also contribute to long-term improvements in sleep health.

World Sleep Day has been effective in bringing attention to the importance of sleep, but more needs to be done to embed it into mainstream health discussions, particularly in Australia. With growing research linking poor sleep to chronic disease, mental health issues, and reduced workplace productivity, ensuring sleep health is prioritised should no longer be an afterthought. As awareness grows, there is an opportunity to integrate sleep into national health strategies, ensuring it is treated with the same urgency as other critical health concerns.