23 November 2021 |
« WE SHOULD CREATE A MINISTRY OF SLEEP ! »
Nicolas Goarant - sleep specialist
In his book, "Le sommeil malmené", Nicolas Goarant, a sleep specialist, shows that this theme deserves to be taken out of our bedrooms and become an open discussion for public debate. He explains why...
Sleeping well is a concern for many people and a recurring topic in the media today. What about in the political world? Surely it should be a topic of interest ?
Unfortunately not! When I was working as a member of the National Assembly, I realised that while there were groups dealing with all kinds of issues, none were ever about sleep.
Is the subject too private to be the discussion of a public debate ?
No, because it is linked to too many various factors. In 2016, I came across a note from the Terra think tank which summed it up well: in essence, it said that the decision to sleep is personal and the quality of our sleep is largely conditioned by our physical, cultural and social environment. This statement caught my eye. We are interested in babies' sleep, in people who snore, insomniacs or those who suffer from Apnea or have back pain. Sleep is just as vital for good health as food and exercise. Food has a ministry; surely sleep should too. We must create one !
Have you not taken advantage of your situation in the National Assembly to try to make a difference ?
I opened a sleep-themed pop-up store in Paris. I used to sell a "bed in a box". Foam mattresses delivered to your home in a big box with other accessories related to sleeping well: from the awakening scent to hot water bottles and herbal teas. This confirmed that this issue is of great concern to the public in its various aspects.
Are there many factors that play a role when it comes to getting a good night's sleep?
The issue of noise, for example, is becoming predominant in our societies. In France, we invest billions in cleaning up the roads, installing sound-absorbing coatings, making sure that two-wheelers do not make too much noise and installing noise barriers. It takes time for that to happen. At the same time, more and more people are complaining that noise is preventing them from sleeping well. During the lockdown, especially in towns and around major highways, many people realised they were sleeping better as activity declined and their surroundings became quieter than usual.
Do you think that creating a ministry of sleep would address all the issues around the complex subject of good sleep ?
Absolutely! This would prevent it from being considered from an only urbanistic or medical point of view. This is important because shops and services are now accessible at all times, blurring the lines between day and night. We observe the same phenomenon between work and leisure time since our digital devices keep us connected at all times, eating away at our normal sleep and rest time.
It is an unfortunate fact that our modern society continues to praise those who sleep only a little...
Our head of state, Mr Macron, claims that he only sleeps four hours a night! Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post too, before her burnout. We tend to believe that nothing important happens in life while we’re sleeping, but of course this is not true: Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, sleeps eight hours a night. Marshal Joffre, says he made no important decision without taking the night to sleep on it. In reality, many look at these moments of pause with suspicion because instead of relaxing and unwinding, we could be producing or consuming.