American Academy of Sleep Medicine launches campaign to raise awareness about the importance of sleep

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Jun 6 2022

Today, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine launched "Sleep is Good Medicine," a national campaign to increase public education about the importance of sleep and its connection to health. The campaign was announced during the plenary session of the SLEEP 2022 annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Charlotte, North Carolina.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 3 adults in the United States report getting less than seven hours of sleep per day. In 2021, the AASM issued a position statement noting that sleep is essential to health and calling for greater emphasis on sleep health in education, clinical practice, inpatient and long-term care, public health promotion, and the workplace.

This campaign will support the AASM vision that sleep is recognized as essential to health. Sleep is as important as nutrition and exercise for our health and well-being."

Dr. Raman Malhotra, board-certified sleep medicine physician and professor, department of neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

"Sleep is Good Medicine" will show how getting healthy sleep helps the body boost immunity, reduce stress, and work to lower the risk for many medical conditions, like diabetes and hypertension.

"We know that chronic insufficient sleep can have a detrimental impact on personal health and increase the risk of many diseases," said Jennifer L. Martin, a licensed clinical psychologist who is a professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "Healthy sleep is also important for mood regulation and mental health, helping to reduce the risk of problems such as anxiety and depression."

Through "Sleep is Good Medicine," the AASM will work to elevate sleep as a key pillar of health -; equivalent to nutrition and exercise. The campaign builds upon the AASM's existing awareness efforts for the public and health care professionals, serving as a key initiative in addressing information gaps about the value of sleep.

The digital campaign will provide engaging content, including infographics and social media messages, to educate adults about healthy sleep and encourage people to talk to their doctor about their sleep concerns. The campaign also will provide tips and resources to support health care professionals in helping their patients improve their sleep health.