Sleep Isn't Just a Health Issue, it's a Cultural One Too

Dreams play a significant role in the lives of Indigenous people in Australia.

Many believe dreams are a vehicle to connect with their ancestors, enable them to get guidance and ideas for expressing their creative abilities through singing, dancing, and artwork and maintain a connection to the spiritual realm.

Because of this, and the fact that it’s a biological necessity for maintaining good physical and mental health, getting a decent night’s sleep is crucial to improving health in Indigenous communities.

However, the lack of sleep health resources and services that respond to cultural needs and align with Indigenous worldviews often results in undiagnosed or unmanaged sleep issues in Indigenous peoples.

As Roslyn Von Senden, a Kalkadoon woman from Mount Isa who is involved in a programme to improve sleep health in communities, said: “Sleep loss deprives us of opportunities to connect with our culture, our ancestors and who we are as traditional custodians of the world’s oldest surviving culture. That leads to poor emotional and mental health, affects our wellbeing and results in chronic conditions.”

First Nations sleep research is a burgeoning field, with the evidence to date consistently suggesting high rates of poor sleep in Indigenous people across the world.

Poor understanding of the impact of sleep loss, limited availability of specialist sleep services and trained staff, inadequate sleep environments, and other social determinants of health significantly contribute to poor sleep in Indigenous communities.

Globally, three in five of adults struggle with poor sleep, significantly impacting their health and wellbeing.

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