Sleep Crisis Threatens Health and Increases Mortality Risk
Indonesia’s Ministry of Health has warned that the global sleep crisis can damage physical health, cognitive function, mental wellbeing, productivity, and increase mortality risk among middle-aged to elderly populations. Imran Pambudi, director of vulnerable group health services at the ministry, said on Saturday (14 March 2026) that World Sleep Day 2026 underscores the importance of quality sleep, which is a health pillar equivalent to nutrition and exercise.
“Quality sleep is important because during sleep, the brain and body undertake critical recovery, such as memory consolidation, removal of brain toxins, immune regulation and hormone control, so without efficient sleep, cognitive function, mood, and long-term health decline,” he stated.
Acute sleep deprivation, he said, reduces attention, reaction time, and short-term memory. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
A 2025 global ResMed survey involving 30,026 respondents across 13 markets revealed a global sleep crisis with many people reporting poor sleep quality and disruptions affecting productivity. “Many adults fail to achieve the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Cross-sectional studies in people aged 50 and above show that poor sleep trajectories, in both duration and quality, are associated with increased incidence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), increased frailty, and overall mortality,” Imran said.
Other analysis, he added, found that better sleep quality was associated with reduced mortality risk in middle-aged to elderly populations, confirming the value of sleep interventions. “Systematic evidence shows a strong relationship between chronic sleep deprivation and depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and decline in cognitive function. Sleep disorders also worsen the prognosis of existing mental health conditions,” he added.
Researchers measure sleep quality through quantitative and qualitative aspects: total sleep time, sleep latency or time to fall asleep, frequency of nocturnal awakenings, sleep efficiency (the percentage of time in bed spent sleeping), and subjective satisfaction.
“Data shows the need for quality sleep, which can be defined as the ability to sleep that meets physiological needs so that individuals experience recovery, do not experience excessive daytime drowsiness, and have good cognitive function and mood,” he said.
He therefore outlined several quick steps to improve sleep quality. These include aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep per night for adults, limiting screens one hour before bed, maintaining consistent sleep schedules, adjusting evening lighting to preserve circadian rhythm, and keeping to consistent sleep schedules.
“Reduce nocturnal disruptions by darkening the bedroom, setting a cool temperature, minimising noise, limiting screens and avoiding caffeine or alcohol near bedtime, and check for sleep disorder symptoms such as loud snoring, shortness of breath, or daytime drowsiness for referral to sleep services,” he said.