Our colleagues at the National Sleep Foundation designated the week before the time change National Sleep Awareness Week(r) and use that time to release an annual poll regarding a sleep issue.
This year, unlike previous years, there were several other important information releases during the month that bear mentioning.
On March 1st, the American Thoracic Society released a long awaited report on research priorities for ambulatory management of adults with obstructive sleep apnea. What is significant is that collaborating on the report are three of the principal medical societies responsibility for diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea, plus the European Respiratory Society. Having everyone rowing in the same direction can only help improve the care of those with sleep apnea - here in the United States and Europe.

The watershed event of the month occurred on March 15th, when the Institute of Medicine released their report on the leading health indicators for Healthy People 2020. The IOM, at the request of the US Department of Health and Human Services distilled the nearly 600 objectives included in Healthy People 2020 down to the 24 most important. Included among the 24 was one of the four from the Sleep Health topic - Increase the proportion of adults who get sufficient sleep. It was already significant that sleep now had its own "topic" under Healthy People. On top of that, to be included as one of the leading health indicator is a great leap forward in awareness.
March is about sleep and this year the needle moved on the importance of sleep. Now our job is not to let them forget about it the rest of the year.