World Sleep Day 2024: 15 Facts You Need to Know About Your Sleep Patterns

World Sleep Day 2024: World Sleep Day is celebrated globally on March 15. It is observed to raise awareness about the importance of sleep and its impact on health and well-being. The World Sleep Society, formerly the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), began the celebration in 2008 to promote sleep health worldwide.

15 Interesting Facts About World Sleep Day

• Elephants sleep less than any other animal.
• The sleepiest animal in the world is the koala, which spends about 18–22 hours a day snoozing.
• Tigers and human infants sleep duration is similar.
• It normally takes 10–20 minutes to fall asleep. If you fall asleep too quickly, it means you're sleep deprived. If it takes you much longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep regularly, consider taking some supplements.
• The natural light and dark cycle of the day helps your body know when it’s time to be awake and alert and when it’s time to wind down and get some shut-eye. Putting phones and other bright screens away about 30 minutes before bedtime is a good habit to practice maintaining healthy sleep hygiene.
• A short nap, 20–30 minutes, is recommended for short term alertness without feeling too groggy to get back to your day.
• A Harvard study showed that sleeping extra to compensate for sleep times decreased reaction times and the ability to focus. 
• Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift away from each other.
• Tiredness peaks twice a day, around 2 a.m. and 2 p.m. for most people. That’s why you’re less alert after lunch.
• Sleep deprivation kills living beings more than starvation. 
• People blind by birth experience dreams involving things such as emotions, sound, and smell rather than light. 
• Around two-thirds of a cat's life is spent asleep. 
• A giraffe only needs 1.9 hours of sleep a day, whereas a brown bat needs 19.9 hours a day.
• The sensation of falling when half asleep and jerking yourself awake is called hypnic jerks.
• It’s thought that up to 15% of the population are sleepwalkers.

Let us carry forward the awareness and insights gained today into our daily lives during this Sleep Day celebration. By prioritizing sleep, we not only enhance our own health and well-being but also contribute to a happier and more productive society. Together, let us strive for a world where quality sleep is recognized as a fundamental human right, fostering vitality, resilience, and fulfillment for all.

Important Days and Dates in March 2024