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Curriculum The Economics of Sleep

The Economics of Sleep

Sleep and the economy: sleep as an economic question, how much we need, the cost of deprivation, shift work and the night economy, time zones and daylight saving, the sleep industry, homes and heat, workplaces and naps, drowsy driving, children and screens, and a recap.

  1. Sleep as an Economic Question We spend about a third of our lives asleep, and how much and how well we sleep affects productivity, health, safety and spending. 📄 Read-aloud
  2. How Much Sleep We Need Most adults need seven to nine hours, teenagers more, and many people get less than they need. 📄 Read-aloud
  3. The Cost of Sleep Deprivation Researchers estimate that poor sleep costs economies billions through lost productivity, accidents and health problems. 📄 Read-aloud
  4. Shift Work and the Night Economy Nurses, factory workers, call centre staff and delivery riders work at night, and their health and pay reflect the strain. 📄 Read-aloud
  5. Time Zones, Daylight Saving and Schedules Clocks and time zones influence sleep, and debates continue about daylight saving and school and work start times. 📄 Read-aloud
  6. The Sleep Industry Mattresses, pillows, apps, trackers, supplements and sleep clinics form a growing market. 📄 Read-aloud
  7. The Economics of Sleep: Checkpoint 1 Quick checkpoint - five questions on the economics of sleep. 5 questions
  8. Household Choices: Homes, Noise and Cooling Housing quality, noise and heat determine how well families sleep, and cooling is a growing expense in hot countries. 📄 Read-aloud
  9. Workplaces, Naps and Productivity Some firms provide nap rooms and encourage reasonable hours, since tired workers make more errors and burn out faster. 📄 Read-aloud
  10. Drowsy Driving, Health and Public Policy Tired driving causes accidents, and poor sleep is linked to health problems, so policies target driver hours and health awareness. 📄 Read-aloud
  11. Children, Schooling and Screen Time Children's sleep affects learning, and late screen use disrupts it, with implications for education outcomes. 📄 Read-aloud
  12. Sleep Economics: Recap A recap of why sleep is an economic issue. 📄 Read-aloud

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