[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 43 (Monday, March 11, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         WAKING UP TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP FOR MENTAL HEALTH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JAMIE RASKIN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 11, 2024

  Mr. RASKIN. Mr. Speaker, as our nation confronts political chaos, the 
civilizational emergency of climate change, and existential threats to 
our democracy, I have found myself unable to sleep. This is an 
experience that it turns out I share with millions of Americans. The 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that more than 
one third of all adults in the United States sleep fewer than the 
clinically recommended seven hours per night. As we mark Sleep 
Awareness Week, recognized this year by the National Sleep Foundation 
between March 10-16, we must elevate the importance of sleep health to 
our mental and physical health and confront the sleep disparities that 
closely correspond to racial and socioeconomic inequalities.
  Sleep quality, it turns out, has been causally linked to mental 
health. Researchers from Keele University and the University of 
Sheffield found that greater improvements in sleep quality led to 
greater improvements in mental health. Though we have progressed by 
leaps and bounds in our society's discourse on mental health, we have 
yet to sufficiently emphasize the links between getting enough sleep 
and feeling mentally well.
  The call to ``get more sleep'' is a tall order for many Americans, 
especially in light of the social disparities that already affect sleep 
health for so many. African Americans are 65 percent more likely and 
Hispanic Americans are 59 percent more likely to report poor sleep 
quality than white Americans, even though all groups report a similar 
ease in falling asleep. Americans who earn enough to make ends meet are 
much more likely to report a good night's sleep than people who are 
struggling to get by and living paycheck to paycheck. Closing these 
divides and achieving sleep equity must be one of our national public 
health priorities.
  Our nationwide quest to get a good night's sleep is inextricable from 
our work for a more democratic society, where we want everyone to be 
fully functional and participatory. We need well-rested citizens who 
can participate and govern themselves, their families, and their 
communities. Our struggle to create the conditions for a peaceful 
night's sleep is as much a societal imperative as an individual 
question. During this National Sleep Awareness Week, we must commit to 
the fundamental importance of a good night's rest for all Americans.

                          ____________________