National Sleep Awareness Week: March 3–9, 2008

February 27, 2008

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), 70 million Americans are affected by a sleep problem, but most remain undiagnosed.

National Sleep Awareness Week, coming up March 3–9, is a great time to educate those folks about their options, and there’s no better health professional to deliver the message than the respiratory therapist.

Scheduled to coincide with the return of Daylight Saving Time (we’ll all be “springing forward” on Sunday, March 9), the week capitalizes on the media attention that will already be focused on the change and provides a perfect opportunity for you to fulfill your role as the nation’s lung health experts by sharing your expertise on sleep disorders and sleep related breathing with your communities.

The AARC is your connection to all the resources you’ll need to get started—

As a National Sleep Awareness Week partner, the Association suggests you explore the NSF web site for lots of great information about sleep and sleep disorders, then check out the Foundation’s 2008 Great American Sleep Challenge(TM), an interactive tool consisting of three fun online “challenges” you can promote in your sleep week activities—

Recreate Your Bedroom: Participants decide what to include in an online sleep environment, then find out whether they are a “Sleep Zombie,” a “So-So Sleeper,” or a “Sleep Savvy Sage” based on their selections.
Find the Sleep Stealers: Visitors view a cluttered room filled with both sleep-friendly and sleep-stealing items and are challenged to remove the sleep stealers in 35 seconds or less.
Seven Days of Challenge: This Monday-Sunday tutorial delivers key messages about a variety of sleep-related problems, ranging from sleep apnea to narcolepsy.

You can also find lots of great sleep week resources right here on AARC.org—

Daylight Saving Time PowerPoint: This great presentation from AARC Sleep Section Chair Karen Y. Allen, CRT, RPSGT, covers the history of Daylight Saving Time, the benefits it brings to society, and tips on surviving the change for both children and adults.
Spotlight on Sleep: Resources available in the AARC Store include a Check Your Sleep Apnea IQ card, a Sleep Apnea brochure, the 2008 Hospital Outpatient Guide to Sleep Study Payment, and a 2008 Professor’s Round program on OSA and Patients in Acute Care Hospitals.
Sleep Apnea on YourLungHealth.Org: The Association’s consumer web site provides a comprehensive overview of sleep apnea geared to the general public. Use it in your educational materials and be sure to direct your media contacts and the public alike to this informative site for more information.

The Association can help you connect with media in your hometown too. Our Local Public Relations Is Effective Public Relations guidebook provides tips on event planning, contacting the press, sending out press releases, dos and don’ts for radio and TV interviews, and much, much more.

Wondering how other RTs have garnered press coverage for sleep? These links from the past year all featured AARC members:

• Don Hedden was quoted on sleep disorders in this article on Stater Online out of Kent, OH.
• Bill Malloy offered good advice on getting a good night’s sleep in this article in the Casper, WY, Star-Tribune.
• Lloyd Diamond shared great information about sleep disorders in women in this article in She Magazine.
• Celeste Williams and Diane Rafferty talked about their sleep center and how it is benefiting area residents in this article in the Gaithersburg, MD, Gazette.

And if you want to stay connected to sleep on an ongoing basis, check out our Sleep Section. With more than 1,000 members, this robust community of sleep specialists offers in-depth information and networking opportunities, including a dedicated e-mail list.

So take a look at these resources today and then plan to take the sleep message to your community March 3–9.