Cultural Approaches to Addressing Sleep Deprivation and Improving Sleep Health in Japan: Sleep Issues Among Children and Adolescents Rooted in Self-Sacrifice and Asceticism

This review explores the issue of sleep deprivation among children and adolescents in Japan, examining its cultural background and evaluating the current status of sleep education and interventions. It highlights the profound influence of bushido spirit, emphasizing self-sacrifice and asceticism, as a fundamental cause of sleep undervaluation in Japanese society. While educational efforts and interventions emphasizing the importance of sleep exist, there are limitations in improving sleep habits. Particularly among children and adolescents, despite significant impacts on mental health and academic performance, sleep issues remain unresolved. Therefore, this study examines the effectiveness of personalized approaches using optimal sleep duration calculations and proposes practical steps towards improving sleep duration. Furthermore, it discusses the cultural framework rooted in bushido spirit to address serious health risks associated with sleep deprivation, advocating for a consciousness shift beyond self-sacrifice and asceticism. Ultimately, it emphasizes the need for specific approaches to enhance sleep among children and adolescents, highlighting the necessity for cultural transformation and suggesting directions for future research and practice.