16th March 2018 – World Sleep Day

Friday, 16th March 2018 was World Sleep Day globally.

The day that the entire world focuses on raising awareness about sleep problems and insomnia - even more.

The day itself was a great opportunity to stop and take a moment to think about how well we sleep at night and really be honest about it.

The following information has been copied from the World Sleep Day website:

World Sleep Day® (WSD) – What is it?

World Sleep Day is an annual event that calls to action important issues related to sleep using collaborative efforts energized by sleep professionals all over the world. The focus of WSD is to bring cognizance to the many burdens of sleep problems, as well as the importance of healthy sleep. WSD publicly displays efforts being taken toward prevention and management of sleep disorders.

WSD is chaired by committee member Liborio Parrino, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Parma University, Italy; with support from World Sleep Society’s staff and a full committee.

WSD events take place globally, but are listed together online at www.worldsleepday.org. In the past, World Sleep Day delegates have worked locally to spread awareness of sleep issues by hosting special events, translating materials, distributing booklets and pamphlets on sleep, hosting school events, press conferences and securing media coverage around the world.

Delegates also created content such as public lectures and workshops, appearances on local television and radio shows, booklets, pamphlets, promotional videos, and press releases on sleep. 

2018 marks the 11th annual World Sleep Day!

2018 Slogan: Join the Sleep World, Preserve Your Rhythms to Enjoy Life

World Sleep Day 2018 will incorporate the slogan, ‘Join the Sleep World, Preserve Your Rhythms to Enjoy Life,’ intended to emphasize the importance of circadian rhythms in healthy sleep, and inspired by the recent Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine assigned to three researchers who have dedicated their studies to circadian rhythms.

Circadian rhythms refer to cyclic events within the body such as rhythms in hormones, body temperature and alertness levels. Biological clocks from within the body produce circadian rhythms, but environmental factors such as sunlight also affect them. Preserving regular circadian rhythms have been found to lower the risk of sleep disorders, mental health disorders and chronic health issues such as obesity and diabetes.

• Sound sleep is one of the three pillars of good health along with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
• There are close to 100 disorders of sleep, but most are modifiable and manageable with the help of sleep specialists.
• Individuals who get an entire night’s sleep without any interruptions experience lower rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses.

General facts

• World Sleep Day is an annual event to raise awareness of sleep disorders and the burden that they place on society. World Sleep Day 2018 will be held on Friday, March 16, 2018.
• Most sleep disorders are preventable or treatable, yet less than one-third of sufferers seek professional help.⁴
• Sleep problems constitute a global epidemic that threatens health and quality of life for up to 45% of the world’s population.³
• Better understanding of sleep conditions and more research into the area will help reduce the burden of sleep disorders on society.

Three elements of good quality sleep are:

Duration: The length of sleep should be sufficient for the sleeper to be rested and alert the following day.

Continuity: Sleep periods should be seamless without fragmentation.

Depth: Sleep should be deep enough to be restorative.