It is widely believed that the duration of sleep has been decreasing in many countries. Today, many people are getting less sleep due to aspects like stress, screen time, and spending more time on distracting activities.Hence, work productivity has declined, and there has been a noticeable decrease in the average physical growth of society.
Firstly, a large number of people are experiencing light or inadequate sleep due to the negative effects of stress. Additionally, instead of sleeping, many turn to “virtual interaction platforms” which contribute to a more stressful lifestyle. This experience is guiding to a “roller coaster effect”—the more one scrolls, the more sleep time is lost, creating a continuous cycle.
Secondly, poor sleep leads to reduced efficiency in daily activities. According to Swanson et al. (2011), poor sleep quality results in mental fatigue, and thereby a decline in alertness, learning, memory, and executing functions. This decline inevitably impacts work performance, and working overtime typically results in more negative consequences than positive outcomes.
Last but never the least, if we continue to get less sleep than recommended, there may be a negative impact on our physical growth. This could potentially lead to a reduction in the global average height. Several thousand years ago, humans were taller on average, with some estimates suggesting that we were more than 7 feet tall. The decline in sleep patterns may contribute to this change in our stature.
In conclusion, the primary reasons for reduced sleep are excessive stress and overuse of digital platforms. These habits lead to both individual inefficiency and negative societal repercussions, including diminished physical growth.