Sleep is a key component of good health. Sleep duration less than 6 hours per day may be associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes, various cardiovascular diseases, depression and other psychological conditions. About the same time, doctors from the University rené Descartes in Paris said in his
French doctors conducted a health survey of homeless people, finding that most often they [homeless people] suffer from insomnia and have trouble sleeping.
"We believe that social services of France need to pay attention to improving the quality of sleep in this group of people. Hotels and rooming house, where they put such people should make noise, light and other stimuli in them was minimal, and the beds must be separated from each other to provide at least a minimum of privacy," said Damien Leger (Damien Leger) from the University rené Descartes in Paris (France) (quoted by RIA news).
Over the past two years the number of homeless people in France has increased about two times. The government is worried about the problem of uncontrolled increase in the number of homeless. The French authorities set up a special hotels and shelters, and at persons without a certain residence work.
In their study, the doctors found that homeless people sleep an average of 6 hours and 31 minutes, while the average sleep duration in Paris 7 hours and 9 minutes.
8% of the homeless said that for the last 24 hours they slept less than 4 hours. Sleeping problems approximately 41% of the homeless, in contrast to an average of 19% in Paris. A quarter of people without a residence said that they can't sleep without special medication.