Neighborhood factors associated with sleep health

Emerging evidence demonstrates that neighborhood characteristics are associated with sleep health. This chapter will (1) introduce the theoretical rationale for why contextual and/or environmental factors may affect sleep health, (2) review recent literature on the neighborhood determinants of sleep among children and adolescents, followed by (3) a similar review of the adult literature, and (4) conclude with the opportunities and challenges for advancing research and interventions on neighborhoods and sleep. Epidemiologic research has shown that both social and physical features of neighborhoods, including social cohesion, safety, neighborhood disorder, light, noise, traffic, pollution, and walkability, are related to sleep health among children and adults. More research is necessary to evaluate which contextual and/or environmental factors are most important for sleep health as well as to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that drive such relationships. Neighborhood-level interventions to promote healthy sleep should be developed, tested, and evaluated as possible pathways for ameliorating sleep health disparities and consequent health disparities.