Urgent Call to Address Sleep Health Crisis in Australia

Australia is currently grappling with a significant public health challenge centered around sleep health. Despite accumulating evidence highlighting the widespread impact of poor sleep, it remains largely neglected in the nation's health policy agenda. A recent comprehensive report led by Flinders University and published in the journal Sleep reveals that up to 40% of Australians do not get sufficient sleep regularly, with 10% suffering from chronic insomnia and approximately 15% potentially affected by obstructive sleep apnea.

This report, issued by the Network of Early Career Sleep Researchers in Training (NEST), emphasizes the urgent need for policymakers to prioritize sleep health. It builds on the 2019 Parliamentary Inquiry into sleep health awareness in Australia and calls for the implementation of long-standing recommendations to improve national sleep practices.

Lead author Dr. Hannah Scott from Flinders University advocates for treating sleep with the same urgency as other vital health behaviors like nutrition and physical activity. The report highlights that poor sleep incurs substantial personal, economic, and systemic costs. In 2019–20, sleep-related health issues cost the Australian economy approximately $75.5 billion, a figure projected to rise without significant intervention.

Beyond economic impacts, inadequate sleep is linked to increased risks of chronic diseases, mental health problems, workplace accidents, and diminished quality of life. Vulnerable groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, shift workers, and residents of rural or remote areas face disproportionate difficulties.

To combat this crisis, the report advocates four key actions: first, establishing sleep as a national health priority through a 10-year strategy; second, launching a nationwide sleep awareness campaign tailored to cultural needs; third, enhancing training and education for health professionals in sleep medicine; and fourth, investing in research to fill critical knowledge gaps, especially regarding underserved populations.

Addressing sleep health comprehensively requires collaboration across sectors to ensure better health outcomes and reduce the societal costs associated with sleep disorders. As the evidence mounts, the message is clear: it is time for Australia to wake up to the importance of sleep for health and wellbeing.