Sleep Is a Human Right, and Its Deprivation Is Torture.

Sleep is integral to human health and well-being; it is recognized as a fundamental right by international bodies. Nevertheless, deliberate sleep deprivation is frequently employed as a form of torture, violating the right to health. Legal cases such as LeMaire v Maass, Ireland v UK, and Huertas v Secretary Pennsylvania Dept of Corrections illustrate the varying interpretations of sleep deprivation as torture or cruel and unusual punishment. Ambiguity in domestic and international legal definitions underscores the need for collaboration between health and legal professionals. Clinicians can offer expertise about physiological and psychological consequences of sleep deprivation, which informs what legally counts as torture. This commentary explores the intersection of sleep deprivation, human rights, and the role of medical professionals in addressing, identifying, and preventing sleep deprivation as a means of coercion and abuse.