Hypnotic drugs and sleep marketing in Uruguay

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21669/tomo.v44.23584

Keywords:

Markets, Sleep, Hypnotics, Psychotropic drugs, Uruguay

Abstract

This article analyzes the pharmaceuticalization of sleep by examining advertisements for hypnotic drugs circulating in Uruguay from 1930 to the present. We observe that the promotional strategies of national and foreign laboratories perpetuate cultural representations not only about what a hypnotic drug is and should be, but also what sleep is and should be. Our analysis reveals recurring themes such as night, the sleeper, sleeplessness, and wakefulness, throughout this period. These, along with the artificial sleep/natural sleep antinomy, have facilitated the development and growth of a market centered on the commercialization of the desire to sleep. We conclude that in this market, sleep is the object of a political dispute over its governance, reflecting a changing and contradictory national sleep culture based on competing moral values.

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Author Biographies

Andrea Bielli, University of de Republic

Andrea Bielli, University of the Republic, Uruguay. Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Bachelor's degree in Anthropology, and PhD from the University of the Basque Country. Professor at the Institute of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Republic. Head of the Psychological Knowledge and Psychopharmaceuticals R&D Group.

Lauren Predebon, University of the Republic

Lauren Predebon, University of the Republic, Uruguay. Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Master's degree in Clinical Psychology. Since 2015, member of the Psychological Knowledge and Psychopharmaceuticals Research Team (CSIC-UDELAR) of the Disciplinary Frontiers and Psychoanalysis program at the Institute of Clinical Psychology of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of the Republic, Uruguay.

 

 

Virginia Rodríguez Otero, University of the Republic

Virginia Rodríguez Otero, Licensed Psychologist. Graduate student specializing in Psychoanalytic Focal Psychotherapy at the Center for Focused Psychoanalytic Interventions in Montevideo. Since 2019, she has been working as a research assistant in the Psychological Knowledge and Psychopharmaceuticals R&D Group (CSIC-UDELAR) of the Disciplinary Frontiers and Psychoanalysis program at the Institute of Clinical Psychology of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of the Republic, Uruguay.

Nancy Calisto, University of the Republic

Nancy Calisto, University of the Republic, Uruguay. Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Master's degree in Clinical Psychology. Postgraduate degree in Psychoanalysis from the Freudian School of Montevideo. Member of Dr. Calisto's research team since 2013, currently holding the position of Assistant in the Psychological Knowledge and Psychopharmaceuticals R&D Group (CSIC-UDELAR) of the Disciplinary Frontiers and Psychoanalysis programme at the Institute of Clinical Psychology of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of the Republic, Uruguay.

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Published

2025-12-10

How to Cite

Bielli, A., Predebon, L., Rodríguez Otero, V., & Calisto, N. (2025). Hypnotic drugs and sleep marketing in Uruguay. TOMO Review, 44, e23584. https://doi.org/10.21669/tomo.v44.23584

Issue

Vol. 44 (2025): TOMO Journal (Rolling Pass)

Section

SI: Digital Tecnologies and well-being: the perspective of the Sociology of Markets

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2025 Andrea Bielli, Lauren Predebon, Virginia Rodríguez Otero, Nancy Calisto

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