The American Sleep Medicine Foundation has Created a Relief Fund
“We urge you to come to the aid of our colleagues and others affected by Hurricane Katrina by making a donation of $100 to this relief fund but any contribution is welcome,” said staff.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) members should enter their member number when making an online donation at the organization’s website, aasmnet.org.
The AASM is leading an effort to make sleep medicine an independent medical specialty. The organization provides members with the most important research in the field according to their website. AASM is a professional membership organization dedicated to the advancement of sleep medicine and related research. Established in 1987, the agency, formerly the American Sleep Disorders Association, is headquartered in Westchester, Ill. The AASM provides programs, information, and services to more than 4,900 individual members and over 500 center members and advocates sleep medicine supportive policies in the medical community and public sector.
The AASM also specializes in internal medicine, critical care, pulmonary, and some other areas. California has the most members – 335.
According to the organization, women of all ages experience troubled sleep and the sleeping patterns of most women change during pregnancy. The natural aging process also causes changes in sleep. According to AASM, women are twice as likely as men to have trouble falling and staying asleep and more than 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder. Of the 70 million, 60 million have a chronic disorder. Each year, sleep disorders, sleep deprivation, and sleepiness add an estimated $15.9 billion to the national health care bill.
The International Classification of Sleep Disorders lists 84 sleep disorders of sleep and wakefulness that serve as a guide for diagnosis.
Some children also suffer from sleep disorders. Sleep specialists suggest children need at least nine hours of sleep a night to effectively function but most receive far less because of daily demands from society, including homework, social activities, and technology, according to AASM’s website. Children who have not had adequate nighttime sleep risk physical and mental impairment. Experts recommend not over-scheduling your child, setting and maintaining a regular bed time, not allowing children to consume caffeine close to bed time, helping your child develop a sleep ritual, not allowing your child to get wound up in the evening, make sure bedroom where child sleep is dark, not allowing your child to fall asleep in front of the t.v., paying attention to the mattress, and monitoring temperature in child’s room.
For a list of sleep centers, call 1-888-41-AWAKE.
