Sleep is not a luxury — it’s a fundamental pillar of health on par with diet and exercise. As we enter a new era of sleep, people are more aware than ever before of how rest impacts their overall health. We are at an inflection point where sleep is increasingly recognized as essential to preventative care and wellness. Yet, many still suffer in silence, trapped in a cycle of exhaustion.

The medical industry has a unique opportunity to embrace this era of sleep by adopting a proactive, patient-centric approach that prioritizes sleep as an essential pillar of health.

The new era of sleep calls for more action.

Despite growing awareness about the role of sleep health, a global sleep survey found that respondents lose an average of three nights of restorative sleep each week. And nearly one in four respondents said they simply live with poor sleep rather than seek help. Misinformation and unverified “sleep solutions” contribute to this problem, normalizing poor sleep and discouraging people from getting professional help.

Sleep disorders are also on the rise: Approximately 1 billion people worldwide suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and about one in three adults experience symptoms of insomnia. On top of this, up to 80 percent of OSA cases go undiagnosed and untreated, putting those affected at significant risk. A new landmark meta-analysis published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine showed that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy significantly reduces both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in people with OSA, making timely diagnosis more important than ever.

As medical professionals, we know the consequences of poor sleep extend beyond being tired. For people with OSA, using CPAP versus not using it can literally be a matter of life or death. This data underscores an urgent opportunity for the medical industry to lead the way in advancing sleep health care.

As an industry, we can take a more proactive approach in incorporating digital technology, personalized approaches, and meeting the patient where they are – in the home – to increase access to appropriate and timely diagnosis and treatment.

Innovative and proactive approaches to sleep health

Health care is evolving rapidly, and we are now in a transformative era where consumer technology and health technology converge to create opportunities to support better health at home. This shift empowers individuals to take charge of their well-being through remote monitoring, personalized care, and technologies that seamlessly integrate into everyday life.

How can clinicians and health care professionals make sleep care more accessible? One powerful step is to streamline the diagnosis-to-treatment journey. For many, the idea of an overnight sleep study, hooked up to wires, can be daunting. While this type of testing is important for some people, access to home sleep apnea tests, which can be completed in the comfort of home, can be life-changing.

Patients are also increasingly turning to technology to improve their sleep. Our research shows that 42 percent of respondents use smartphone apps to track their sleep, and 29 percent use wearable devices. Consumer tech helps people better understand their sleep health and take action. When combined with digital health tools, people can generate valuable data that helps providers deliver faster, more tailored treatments. Together, consumer tech and health tech can be led by the industry and embraced by health care providers to improve patient outcomes.

Cloud-based platforms and AI integration are also critical to this evolution. Connected devices allow for remote monitoring and advanced data analysis, enabling personalized care and more responsive patient support.

Embracing the future of sleep health

The health care sector is on the brink of significant change where sleep health plays a key role in shaping the future of patient-centric care. As an industry we have a responsibility to prioritize sleep health in clinical conversations. By closing the gap between awareness and effective treatments, we can fully embrace this new era of sleep and help more people improve their sleep health.

Carlos Nunez is a physician executive.