Massey Documents by Type

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Author: search.filters.author.Gibson RSubject: search.filters.subject.culture

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    Sensationalising Sleep: Perspectives and Protocols for Understanding Discourses of Sleep Health in Aotearoa New Zealand
    (John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Health Promotion Association, 2025-07) Gibson R
    Sufficient sleep is a basic right, vital for functioning and wellbeing. Socioecological disparities in sleep status are increasingly highlighted. However, broader social and cultural factors, including beliefs and practicalities of sleep, are seldom considered. This is particularly important for bicultural countries such as Aotearoa New Zealand, where mainstream discourses and health promotion have been colonised. Media provides a platform for shaping beliefs and attitudes concerning sleep. Media messaging contributes to definitions of 'normal sleep' and sensationalised messages around sleep(lessness) and disease-seldom accounting for nuanced differences across the lifespan or Indigenous knowledge and practises concerning sleep and wellbeing. How messages concerning sleep are delivered, interpreted, and resisted varies and warrants exploring-particularly among populations predisposed to sleep disturbances. This paper provides a narrative review of the social and cultural factors influencing sleep and highlights the paucity of research in this space. Responding to these gaps, a current research agenda is presented concerning sleep-related discourses and practises in Aotearoa New Zealand. This includes explorations of media representations of sleep, key audience interpretations, and the development of a theoretical framework to inform appropriate sleep-related research and health promotion relevant to contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
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    Sleep as a social and cultural practice in Aotearoa: a scoping review
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-09-22) Ross I; Signal L; Tassell-Matamua N; Meadows R; Gibson R
    Traditionally, sleep science is grounded in biology, physiology, and medicine. But socio-cultural considerations provide a crucial lens into sleep health. Exploring the sociology of sleep in Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ) could broaden our understandings and better represent sleep-related practices among our diverse communities. This scoping review represents the pre-existing literature concerning sleep as a social or cultural practice in AoNZ. The initial search (via Discover and Scopus) search yielded 2,442 results. Of these results, 113 manuscripts were characterised of interest, but only 20 were directly related and included in the review. This literature was presented in relation to Meadows’ (2005) modes of ‘sleep embodiment’ including sleep practice norms, the pragmatics of sleep and social roles, individual experiences and feelings related to sleep, and the visceral need for sleep. The findings highlight the progress of sleep literature in AoNZ. This covers diverse sleep practices, perspectives and experiences of sleep and sleeping, as well as the broader socio-cultural factors and unique AoNZ context that influence sleep. However, gaps in the field of local sleep research are also identified. Findings lay the foundation for further research in AoNZ to explore sleep-related discourses and practices that will ultimately broaden existing perspectives.
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    Sleep health in later life: Interviews exploring experiences, attitudes and behaviours of older people
    (Cambridge University Press, 21/04/2022) Crestani F; Williams G; Breheny M; Tupara H; Cunningham C; Gander P; Gibson R
    Sleep is vital for health and wellbeing across the lifecourse. Ethnic differences have been observed with regards to the prevalence and predictors of self-reported sleep problems. An understanding of sleep experiences with ageing and across ethnicities is required to better support older people. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 23 people living in Aotearoa/New Zealand aged 61-92 years (12 MAori and 11 non-MAori) concerning current sleep status, changes over their lifecourse and personal strategies for supporting good sleep. Participants typically expressed satisfaction with current sleep (usually pertaining to duration) or feelings that sleep was compromised (usually pertaining to waking function). Comparisons to a socially perceived 'ideal' sleep were common, with sleep transitions presented as a gradual and accepted part of ageing. Participants resisted medicalising sleep disruptions in older age. While participants were aware of ways to enhance their sleep, many acknowledged engaging in practices that undermined it. Unique insights from some MA ori participants indicated that sleep disruptions were not so readily pathologised compared to Western views and that sleeplessness could provide opportunity for cultural or spiritual connection. Common narratives underpinning the themes were: 'You don't need as much sleep when you're older', 'Sleep just fits in' and 'Having the time of my life'. Findings provide personal experiences and cultural interpretations relating to sleep and ageing. This provides the foundation for future participatory research to co-design sleep health messages which are meaningful for ageing well across ethnicities.