March 14, 2010

Sleep Apnea on World Sleep Day March 19th

Sleep Apnea Awareness Day 2010 was pretty quiet this year, this notwithstanding that the ASAA celebrates its 20th anniversary.

A lot of our attention is focused on the upcoming sleep apnea and trucking conference scheduled for May 11-12. If you aren't familiar with what we are planning, check it out.

We have other activities planned to celebrate the beginning of our 20th year of service to the public as the leading patient organization for education, support and advocacy for sleep apnea. Stay tuned.

I want to call people's attention to World Sleep Day this coming week - March 19th. Organized by the World Association for Sleep Medicine, it is a global effort to call attention to the importance of sleep and recognizing there are there are a number of disorders that interfere with it. Their catchphrase this year - SLEEP WELL, STAY HEALTHY. The organizers have simplified the rules for good sleep hygiene into a list of ten "commandments."

Another reason why I want to call your attention to March 19th is that World Sleep Day is part of a yearlong, worldwide recognition of lung health - The Year of the Lung. Most of the respiratory medical professional and patient organizations from all over the world are partnering to focus on the many issues that affect lung health and sleep apnea is one of those issues.

Our colleagues at the American Thoracic Society, founding partners for the Year of the Lung have taken as one of their charges promoting World Sleep Day.

We join with them to share the following declaration for March 19, 2010 - World Sleep Day:

Whereas, sleepiness and sleeplessness constitute a global epidemic that threatens health and quality of life,

Whereas, much can be done to prevent and treat sleepiness and sleeplessness,

Whereas, professional and public awareness are the firsts steps to action,

We hereby DECLARE that the disorders of sleep are preventable and treatable medical conditions in every country of the world.

Take time this week to think about how you and other members of your family sleep (particularly your children and grandchildren) . Share the ten commandments with those who would benefit from a change in their sleeping habits.

Remember - Sleeping well is a key to staying healthy.

1 comment:

fundbizz said...

Thank you for your very thoughtful and precise article on sleep apnea. I personally suffer from the disorder and I found your post to be informative and delightful to read albeit a bit disconcerting to me because of my condition. I use a CPAP machine, which after 2 years now, have become a necessity for me to sleep. Thanks again.