Unveiling the Hidden Pandemic: Sleep Inequity and Its Far-Reaching Consequences - MODULE 3
The Science of Sleep: How Our Bodies Regulate Sleep
Sleep rarely makes the headlines when we talk about health disparities. Yet quality sleep is not a luxury. It is a basic biological need that millions of Americans cannot get. Our bodies use two main processes to control sleep. Sleep pressure builds up while we are awake, making us feel sleepy. Our internal clock (circadian rhythm) tells our body when it is time to sleep or wake up. Together, these systems help us sleep well when life allows it.
But good sleep is not available to everyone. Sleep disorders affect people of all backgrounds, but treatment is often out of reach for those without good insurance. Night shift workers, mostly from lower-income communities and communities of color, struggle against their natural sleep cycles. Their unusual schedules force them to stay awake when their bodies need rest, putting their health at risk.
This creates a ripple effect. Poor sleep leads to heart disease, diabetes, depression, and cognitive problems. These health issues already hit underserved communities harder. When we treat sleep as just a personal choice, we ignore how society affects our basic biological needs.
We need change. Sleep equity means health equity. Healthcare providers and policymakers must make sleep medicine more accessible and create workplace rules that protect workers’ rest. Everyone deserves good sleep, no matter where they live or how much money they make.
What can you do to support better sleep in your community and workplace?
A JOINT initiative BY
AUTHORS
Dr. Marty Martin, PsyD, MPH, MS, MA
Board Member, Center for Healthcare Innovation
Joseph Gaspero is the CEO and Co-Founder of CHI. He is a healthcare executive, strategist, and researcher. He co-founded CHI in 2009 to be an independent, objective, and interdisciplinary research and education institute for healthcare. Joseph leads CHI’s research and education initiatives focusing on including patient-driven healthcare, patient engagement, clinical trials, drug pricing, and other pressing healthcare issues. He sets and executes CHI’s strategy, devises marketing tactics, leads fundraising efforts, and manages CHI’s Management team. Joseph is passionate and committed to making healthcare and our world a better place. His leadership stems from a wide array of experiences, including founding and operating several non-profit and for-profit organizations, serving in the U.S. Air Force in support of 2 foreign wars, and deriving expertise from time spent in industries such as healthcare, financial services, and marketing. Joseph’s skills include strategy, management, entrepreneurship, healthcare, clinical trials, diversity & inclusion, life sciences, research, marketing, and finance. He has lived in six countries, traveled to over 30 more, and speaks 3 languages, all which help him view business strategy through the prism of a global, interconnected 21st century. Joseph has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago. When he’s not immersed in his work at CHI, he spends his time snowboarding backcountry, skydiving, mountain biking, volunteering, engaging in MMA, and rock climbing.