「睡眠すいみん障害しょうがい」診療しんりょう科か名めいに追加ついかを要望ようぼう 「睡眠すいみん障害しょうがい内科ないか」など想定そうてい

The number of people suffering from insomnia and unable to get enough sleep is increasing, so the Japanese Society of Sleep Research has submitted a request to the government to add sleep disorders to the names of medical departments displayed by healthcare institutions.

It is expected to be displayed in combination with other department names such as Sleep Disorder Medicine, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to consider this further in the future.

The average sleep duration of Japanese people is just over 7 hours and 20 minutes, according to a 2021 survey published by the OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, making it the shortest among the 33 member countries. According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, about one in five people feel they are not getting enough rest from sleep.

If sleep deprivation becomes chronic, the risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression increases, so it is recommended to seek appropriate medical care as early as possible. However, currently, medical institutions are not allowed to use the term sleep disorders as the name of a department on signs or advertisements, making it difficult for people to know where to seek help—this has been pointed out as an issue.

From this situation, the Japanese Society of Sleep Research, which is made up of specialist doctors and others, has decided to request the government to newly add sleep disorders to the names of medical departments. The societys chairman, Dr. Naotaka Uchimura, visited the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and submitted a written request.

The names of medical departments displayed by medical institutions, such as internal medicine or surgery, are called designated medical departments, and adding new ones requires discussion by a national expert committee.

The Japanese Society of Sleep Research envisions combining the name with other departments such as Sleep Disorder Internal Medicine or Sleep Disorder Psychiatry, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to continue discussions on this matter.

President of the Japanese Society of Sleep Research: “A guide for those struggling with sleep.” Dr. Naohisa Uchimura, President of the Japanese Society of Sleep Research: “Until now, people used to say things like ‘you won’t die just because you can’t sleep,’ and the importance of sleep wasn’t recognized.”

With the recent emergence of systems that can visualize sleep data, including smartphones, sleep issues have become visible in terms of both duration and quality, leading to increased interest.

On the other hand, many people dont know where to go for consultation, which has become a major issue. Data shows that not getting proper sleep increases the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia, and cancer, so sleep is extremely important for living a long and healthy life.

If the term sleep disorder could be used as a department name, it would serve as a guide for people struggling with sleep and lead to earlier consultations.