This article reviews evidence supporting the hypothesis that suicide rates in Japan could be reduced by elevating serotonin levels via increasing the average duration of sleep. From the research reviewed, 2 major problematic issues were apparent: most people in Japan receive inadequate sleep & individuals whose sleep is inadequate are unlikely to be sufficiently physically active to stimulate serotonergic systems to a desirable level. Public health initiatives encouraging a longer duration of sleep may provide a relatively simple way of addressing the current trend in Japan. The combination of actigraph & brain serotonin level measurement could allow large population-based cohort studies to be designed to elucidate the causal links between sleep duration, serotonin levels, & suicide rates. (64 refs.)
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