World Dream Day, celebrated annually on September 25th, was established in 2012 by Ozioma Egwuonwu, an American consultant and life coach. She recognized the importance of openly sharing one’s projects and aspirations—fostering a flow of communication and connection—to build mutual support and, in doing so, help break down the barriers that sometimes prevent us from realizing our dreams.

While it is true that we should never stop nurturing our ambitions or working toward a better future—both for ourselves and for others—we must also remember that creativity, perseverance, and productivity are mental attributes inextricably linked to the well-being and health of the body, starting with a good night’s restful and restorative sleep.

“Sleep” is defined as a reversible state of unconsciousness—a disconnection from the surrounding environment—during which metabolic rate and muscular activity are drastically reduced. Although the precise reason why we sleep remains not fully understood, numerous hypotheses suggest that sleep serves as a mechanism for memory integration (i.e., the process of interconnecting related experiences by recruiting specific neuronal populations) and consolidation (i.e., the transition of information from short-term to long-term memory), as well as for maintaining neuronal homeostasis (i.e., balancing the electrical activity of neurons) and preserving metabolic efficiency. Conversely, a lack of sleep—whether in terms of poor quality or insufficient duration—is linked to the onset of impairments in cognitive function, memory, social behavior, and emotional regulation. In cases of chronic insomnia, the consequences can be severe, significantly increasing the risk of developing conditions such as cardiovascular disease (hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, etc.), diabetes, obesity, and depression.

The sleep-wake cycle is regulated by the “circadian rhythm,” a finely tuned process that responds to the activity of a specific region of the brain: the “suprachiasmatic nucleus” located within the hypothalamus—a structure situated in the center of the brain, at the junction of the two hemispheres. By receiving information from the retina regarding the light levels in the external environment, the suprachiasmatic nucleus can respond to the alternation of day and night by triggering the release of various molecules (such as melatonin), thereby ensuring the proper sequence of periods of wakefulness and the subsequent need for sleep. Sleep is primarily characterized by two phases: the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage and the NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) stage. The latter is further subdivided into a progression of events that culminate in the deepest stage of sleep (known as N3). It begins with a sense of drowsiness—during which the eyes may close involuntarily (the W phase)—and gradually transitions into increasingly profound states of unconsciousness, marked by a slowing heart rate and a drop in body temperature (the N1 and N2 phases). The REM phase, by contrast, is the stage of sleep associated with actual dreaming. During this phase, breathing becomes irregular and slightly more agitated. The first REM phase lasts approximately 90 minutes, but as the night progresses, these periods tend to lengthen, at the expense of the various stages that make up the NREM phase.

Insomnia is a disorder that can stem from either endogenous factors or secondary causes, such as pharmacological treatments, psychiatric conditions, or pre-existing metabolic dysfunctions. Endogenous (or primary) insomnia is generally the result of intrinsic alterations to the circadian rhythm, linked to a range of factors including aging, unfavorable environmental conditions (such as jet lag, loud noise, high temperatures during sleep, or night-shift work), childhood trauma, or anxiety. To combat insomnia, there are effective alternatives to medication—specifically, behavioral interventions such as relaxation techniques, hypnosis, or "sleep restriction therapy"—as well as the use of dietary supplements like melatonin. Melatonin naturally promotes the onset of sleep by acting directly on the hypothalamus and counteracting signals that otherwise induce wakefulness. Natural melatonin levels peak between 2:00 and 4:00 AM, and production declines as daylight intensifies with the rising sun. The physiological release of melatonin can be disrupted by exposure to excessive light before bedtime, by stress, by forced sleep deprivation (for instance, due to night-shift work or long-haul air travel), or as a result of exposure to the blue light emitted by the screens of various electronic devices at bedtime. While it is true that melatonin is an excellent ally for regulating the sleep-wake cycle, it is also worth keeping in mind that sometimes simply adjusting certain habits in your evening routine—specifically, avoiding the use of tablets, laptops, smartphones, and the like while in bed—can improve the quality of your rest.