What is National Sleep Awareness Week?

The National Sleep Foundation has designated March 9-15, 2025 as Sleep Awareness Week. Coinciding with the start of Daylight Savings Time, Sleep Awareness Week began in 1998 to promote the importance of sleep for health and well-being, and to encourage people to prioritize getting enough quality sleep.

The providers at The Greenbrier Clinic are big supporters of the week and stress the importance of quality sleep to their patients.

How important is sleep? According to the National Sleep Foundation:

• Almost 9 in 10 adults (88%) with good sleep satisfaction say they are flourishing. Less than half of people (47%) with low sleep satisfaction say they are flourishing.
• When asked, over 7 in 10 people say they flourish when they get enough quality sleep.

People with poor sleep health:

• Are 2-times more likely to not be productive at home.
• Are 2-times more likely to not have a fulfilling social life.
• Are 2.5-times more likely to not be productive at work.
• Are 3-times more likely to not achieve their goals.
• Are 4-times more likely to not be happy.

Those convincing numbers bring about the obvious question. How does one get good sleep? The Centers for Disease Control offers these tips for good sleep health.

• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
• Keep your bedroom quiet, relaxing, and at a cool temperature.
• Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
• Avoiding large meals and alcohol before bedtime.
• Avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.

The other frequently asked question is how much sleep does one need? Although the providers at The Greenbrier Clinic state that every person is different and needs different amounts of sleep, the CDC does provide some general recommendations.