Lights, Camera, Action! Last November, sleep research lead Dr. Emma Louise Gale had the chance to step into the spotlight with a feature in the BBC Alba documentary Cadal / Sleep. The programme explored why sleep demands national attention and should be considered a public health priority, rather than a mere lifestyle choice.
Contributing to this discussion, Dr. Gale explored the broad range of social and environmental factors that influence sleep – highlighting the many possible ways to improve sleep on an individual and community level.
Additionally, she shared the results of the Scotland Speaks project – a survey which sampled the sleep habits and perspectives of over 5,000 people from across Scotland. The study’s findings contributed valuable insight into the status of sleep health across the country, while also showcasing the abundance of community support for further government-backed sleep education, research, and policy reform.
These findings therefore fuelled a call for a National Sleep Strategy for Scotland. As Dr. Gale explained, this policy would aim to improve sleep across the country through a multi-pronged approach:
- 📚 Raising awareness of sleep’s importance through sleep education being integrated in school curricula and community settings.
- 👩🏻⚕️ Training healthcare and social workers to better support people with sleep problems in practice.
- 📱 Tackle wider social contributors to poor sleep, such as screen usage, alcohol, and stress.
To learn more about this unique programme, click here.
