World Sleep Day – World Academy of Sleep

World Association of Sleep Medicine

March 10th, 2015 — Having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning? Pressing snooze more than once to get a couple more minutes of “shut eye” before your day begins? Or you’re noticing its becoming more difficult to concentrate on your work throughout the day?

It is very possible that your sleep habits and overall health may be contributing to more than a lack of good quality sleep, but longer term health issues.

On Friday, March 13, 2015, World Sleep Day will be celebrated all over the globe. This annual event is a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep.

This year’s theme is “When Sleep is Sound, Health and Happiness Abound,” focusing on insomnia, with several other identifying messages. Let’s take a look at each of the statements in this year’s slogan.

Sound Sleep — How do you know if you’re getting sound sleep?

If you are breathing well, dreaming well and resting well your sleep will be continuous and uninterrupted, deep and of adequate length resulting in restorative sound sleep. If all of these are achieved you should feel alert and rested throughout the day.

If you have the inability to sleep or deal with habitual sleepiness you may have insomnia, which can affect every aspect of your life.

Health Abounds— People with any level of insomnia may not realize all of the health risks that can result from sleeplessness.

There is a higher risk of cardiovascular issues, as well as cognitive and memory deficits; children with insomnia may have learning disabilities and suffer behavioral problems.

Individuals that struggle with getting an entire night’s sleep without any interruptions also experience higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses.

Happiness Abounds — Studies have shown that people with insomnia suffer from more symptoms of anxiety and depression than people without insomnia.

The quality of sleep can disturb day to day mood and affect relationships depending on how you socially interact and perform your daily activities.

With better sleep, life will result in a happier life for yourself and also for your colleagues, family and friends. It will also help prevent the aggravation of mental health illnesses.

World Sleep Day 2015

World Sleep Day is organized by the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), an international association whose mission is to advance sleep health worldwide. For practical steps to start your journey toward quality sleep, check out WASM’s 10 Commandments of Sleep found at www.worldsleepday.org.

This year, WASM is emphasizing awareness to insomnia with the slogan “When Sleep is

Sound, Health and Happiness Abound.”

You can participate in World Sleep Day by becoming a delegate.

Last year, World Sleep Day delegates worked locally to spread awareness of sleep issues by hosting special events, translating the WASM 10 Commandments into various languages, putting together a full-marathon, displaying a life-size bed in multiple places across a city, having a Red Cross Ambulance distribute booklets and pamphlets on sleep, hosting school events for hundreds of children, there were many press conferences around the world, and lots of television coverage nationally and internationally.

For more information on World Sleep Day, including additional media resources, go to www.worldsleepday.org.

References

1.     Zammit GK, Weiner J, Damato N et al. Quality of life in people with insomnia. Sleep 1999; 22 Suppl 2: S379-85

2.     Jeska. “Chronic Insomnia a Major Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease.” Natural News Blogs RSS.  Truth Publishing International, LTD., 26 Sept. 2014. Web. 08 Oct. 2014.  http://blogs.naturalnews.com/

3.     Pilcher JJ. Sleep quality versus sleep quantity: relationships between sleep and measures of health, well-being and sleepiness in college students. J Psychosom Res. 1997; 42(6): 583-96

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