We spend one-third of our lives sleeping and still we don’t fully understand why it is we sleep. We know some of the functions that lie behind it but overall it’s still very much a mystery. From the beginning of time, all living beings have been governed by the need for sleep, it is considered to be one of the most critical components of life. If a human or animal doesn’t sleep the outcome is simple, they die.

Yet for many modern-day humans, a good night’s sleep has become elusive. Scientists are now discovering that being exposed to light, even low levels have an adverse effect on sleep, even the equivalent of a couple of candles a meter away from you can affect sleep patterns. The advice is to not use screens after 8 pm, but good luck trying to avoid a screen that early in this day and age. That is one of the reasons that has contributed to this epidemic of sleep deficiency witness in society today.

Today lack of sleep affects all age groups with insomnia being very common, it’s estimated that nearly 10% of adults from around the world are severely insomniac. In the space of 50 years, we have some one-and-a-half hours of sleep per night. Scientists from around the world are racing to find solutions, but how do you recover sleep that has been lacking for so long? Surely anything is worth a try, from natural remedies to the most high-tech.

Directed by: Thierry Robert