5. Why is sleep a relevant object for sociological analysis?
Sleep is universal phenomenon and it is fundamental to societal functioning - that‘s the reason sleep is socially organized. Addressing ourselves as we do to the external threats to sleep, we are concerned with the social arrangements by which it is regulated and defended. This involves us in the problem of how sleep is institutionalized as a role within social systems. Sleep is socially patterned and related to age, gender, social class. Each society and culture has its organization and management of sleep.
As sleep and sleeping practices are related to the issues of body, sexuality, intimacy, time, space, work, leisure, socialization, society and it‘s culture get inscribed into the biology of sleep.
Nowadays sleep becomes institutionalized and socially controlled. While sleeping we have right to be free from noise and interference by others and to be exempted from social obligations. On the other hand, we have obligations to sleep during socially accepted hours and in a particular place, in privacy.
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