Call to Mind: The Reason for Sleep

We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping. And not because we’re lazy. Every living creature sleeps, from cats to dolphins, and even fruit flies — it’s an essential need for good health and survival. So, if sleep is a basic health need, why do so many people have trouble doing it? Nearly a third of Americans say they sleep poorly or not enough. Our 24/7 culture makes it tough to get a good night’s sleep; we prize long work hours, fast-paced productivity, staying up late to socialize, and simply stiving for more . While lack of sleep can leave a person groggy, it can also signal a mental illness, make an existing problem worse and increase the risk of mental health issues. This Call to Mind special explores the fundamental relationship between sleep and mental health. For more reporting like this,

You can listen to Call to Mind: The Reason for Sleep online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Call to Mind: The Reason for Sleep is an episode from MPR News with Angela Davis by Minnesota Public Radio.

This episode is 00:52:11 long.

This episode was published on May 13, 2026.

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