Awake In America is joining forces with hundreds of organizations and the National Sleep Foundation to mark National Sleep Awareness Week 2009, which runs from March 2 through March 8.
Awake In America will be focusing additional energies this week to help focus the need for health insurance coverage sleep disorders, increase awareness about the importance of sufficient sleep, the dangers of undiagnosed and untreated sleep disorders, and the consequences of sleep deprivation on a personal and societal level. These extra efforts will be done through email, one-on-one calls, as well as through printed materials the organization has mailed in the weeks leading up to National Sleep Awareness Week 2009.
Introduced in 1998, the annual weeklong health promotion event takes place the week leading up to the return of Daylight Saving Time.
The 12th annual National Sleep Awareness Week takes place during the week leading up to the start of Daylight Saving Time — when clocks “spring forward” at 2:00 am on Sunday, March 8. The week is ideal for placing a strong emphasis on the fact that too many people choose to lose “a precious hour of sleep.”
“While sleep is essential for good health, safety, and optimum performance in all areas of life, lack of sleep affects your mood and behavior, and contributes to poor performance,” said Michele Narcavage, president of Awake In America. “The source of that lack of sleep needs to be identified if not known, and when identified, it needs to be addressed.”
“About one-third of Americans are losing sleep over the current economic climate, as this year’s Sleep In America Poll, conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, clearly shows,” Ms. Narcavage said. “Many Americans are worried about job losses, others worried about being able to pay this month’s utility bills and mortgage, while others are struggling to get health care for themselves and family members. Sleep is seemingly being put on the proverbial back burner by a lot of people in the name of ‘trying to make ends meet,’ which is a double-edged sword. People are giving up sleep – and essential component of health itself, but also putting themselves and others at risk of injury due to sleep deprivation — by simply trying to earn a living.”
According to polls by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), sleep problems are widespread and on the rise, but they are often ignored. “Even children are getting less sleep than experts recommend,” Ms. Narcavage added.
The consequences of sleep deprivation can be particularly lethal on the road. A recent NSF poll found that about 60 percent of adults licensed to drive — 118 million people — reported they drove while drowsy in the past year; more than one-third (37 percent) of these drivers said they either nodded off or actually fell asleep at the wheel.
Awake In America has two year-round relief programs, the Sleep Study Relief Program and the xPAP Donation and Relief Program, available to help.
The two relief programs, spearheaded by Awake In America, are one-of-a-kind programs and are open and available to American citizens who fall into three categories. Those categories are: those who do not have health insurance; those have health insurance that does not cover sleep-related issues, such as sleep studies and durable medical equipment to treat sleep disorders; and those who do not have the financial resources to obtain a sleep study or durable medical equipment to treat sleep disorders.
Awake In America’s relief programs serve as a means to help fill the gap for some of America’s uninsured. Applications and guidelines (see the “Frequently Asked Questions” file for each program) are available online at http://www.AwakeInAmerica.info/donaterelief/.
Individual and business cash donations to help support the relief programs are always welcome.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that at least 100,000 police–reported crashes and 1,500 deaths occur in the U.S. each year because of drowsy driving.
Sleep deprivation can result from undiagnosed insomnia or sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy. Many of the problems are treatable, yet they often go undiagnosed, causing millions of Americans to suffer from unnecessary sleep loss at night and its repercussions during the day.
While there are many daytime consequences of a bad night’s sleep, but some are more apparent than others. NSF and Awake In America suggest you be aware of these six symptoms that can signal inadequate sleep, and if any apply to you, discuss them with a doctor or other health care provider:
- Dozing off while engaged in an activity such as reading, watching TV, sitting in meetings, or sitting in traffic
- Slowed thinking and reacting
- Difficulty listening to conversations or understanding directions
- Frequent errors or mistakes
- Depression or negative mood
- Impatience or being quick to anger
To learn more about the benefits of adequate sleep, the serious health and safety consequences of sleep disturbances and sleep disorders, and ways to ensure a good night’s sleep, visit Awake In America’s download area at http://AwakeInAmerica.info/downloads/?dl_cat=2 where you can use a variety of tools to determine the sleep quality, including:
- Epworth Sleepiness Scale
- Sleep Diary
- World Class Snoring Quiz
Awake In America, an independent national non-profit organization focused on sleep and sleep disorders, is an NSF Sleep Awareness Co-Sponsor, working with NSF to help raise awareness about the importance of sleep. More information about NSAW, sleep, and sleep disorders is available on Awake In America’s Web site, http://www.AwakeInAmerica.info/.
cforms contact form by delicious:days
/Sleep News — Sleep Awareness/sleep-awareness-week-helps-awareness-on-many-topics/2009-03-04.1412
__________
You must log in to post a comment.