Getting Enough Sleep Is Becoming Increasingly Difficult in the Modern World

However, rising temperatures, advances in digital technology, and a 24/7 work culture are increasingly disrupting sleep.

Addressing this problem, researchers argue in a paper published in the Journal of Sleep Research, should not be left to individuals alone. They are urging European governments to tackle the social and economic conditions that determine whether people get enough restorative sleep.

“We are seeing a perfect convergence of factors creating significant sleep challenges across Europe,” said study co-author Fran Pilkington-Cheney, a lecturer in psychology and sleep at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), in a press release.

“People understand that sleep matters, but few realize how factors such as climate change, technology, shift work, urban environments and misinformation collectively affect how well we sleep,” Euronews reports.

The authors call for a shift “away from exclusively individual approaches towards coordinated, systemic action across policy, healthcare, education, industry and urban planning” to address the key challenges preventing people from getting enough sleep.

According to the study, these challenges include climate change and urban environments, unequal access to sleep medicine services, the rapid spread of digital health technologies, online misinformation, and a culture of constant connectivity that leaves people with less and less time to rest.

Among the environmental, technological and social factors making it harder to get enough sleep, rising temperatures stand out as a particular concern.

Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and increasingly hot nights make it harder for the body to cool down, delay the onset of sleep, and lead to more frequent awakenings.

Urban pollution, traffic noise and artificial lighting at night compound the problem, while climate anxiety and extreme weather events further undermine mental health and sleep.

The consequences are unlikely to be evenly distributed. People living in poorly insulated homes, unable to afford cooling systems or forced to live in overcrowded apartments face greater difficulties creating comfortable sleeping conditions. Refugees and displaced people are often exposed to excessive heat, noise and artificial light, while also lacking privacy.

Technology presents another challenge. Wearable devices and sleep-tracking apps can help identify potential problems and allow healthcare professionals to monitor patients remotely, particularly in rural areas where access to specialists is limited.

However, consumer devices are not always accurate enough to diagnose sleep disorders, and their data can cause unnecessary anxiety. The paper describes a phenomenon known as orthosomnia — an obsessive pursuit of supposedly perfect sleep metrics.

The researchers also warn that social media trends such as “sleepmaxxing” encourage people to follow rigid routines, try unproven methods and monitor their sleep excessively.

Meanwhile, online influencers and artificial intelligence-powered tools are spreading questionable health advice, making it increasingly difficult for people to distinguish scientifically supported information from commercial promotion.