Awake In America
Encyclopedia
Awake In America is a Pennsylvania
-based national non-profit organization
(501(c)(3)) focused on sleep
and sleep hygiene
, sleep-related issues, including sleep deprivation
, shift work sleep disorder
, insomnia
, as well as sleep disorders, including sleep apnea
, narcolepsy
, sleep disorders and potential health issues, restless legs syndrome
, among other sleep disorders. Awake In America was incorporated
on July 15, 2004.
, as well as treating sleep issues, and overcoming challenges related to therapies for sleep disorders.
Awake In America also helps individuals, generally individuals who have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, and at other times sleep labs and sleep specialists, to quickly and easily launch community education and support groups.
(does not cover sleep studies and/or Durable medical equipment
), and those in financial straits.
In August 2005, Awake In America launched its premier direct-assist disaster relief program, Operation Restore CPAP, in response to Hurricane Katrina
, and later expanded to cover victims from Hurricane Rita
, and its devastation on the United States
' Gulf Coast.
The program had been authorized by the Board to operate for 90 days, which allowed the program to operate from September 1, 2005 through December 3, 2005.
During the 90 days that Awake In America's Operation Restore CPAP program operated in response to Hurricane Katrina, and later Hurricane Rita, Awake In America shipped replacement equipment, with an estimated value of about $47,000, to 97 individuals who had relocated to nine states, without charge to the recipients. Awake In America is the only organization to have such a program in the United States.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
-based national non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
(501(c)(3)) focused on sleep
Sleep
Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles. It is distinguished from quiet wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than...
and sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene can be defined as the controlling of "all behavioural and environmental factors that precede sleep and may interfere with sleep." It is the practice of following guidelines in an attempt to ensure more restful, effective sleep which can promote daytime alertness and help treat or...
, sleep-related issues, including sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep; it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain. It adversely affects the brain and cognitive function. Few studies have compared the...
, shift work sleep disorder
Shift work sleep disorder
Shift work sleep disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder characterized by insomnia and excessive sleepiness affecting people whose work hours are scheduled during the typical sleep period...
, insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
, as well as sleep disorders, including sleep apnea
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Similarly, each abnormally low...
, narcolepsy
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, or dyssomnia, characterized by excessive sleepiness and sleep attacks at inappropriate times, such as while at work. People with narcolepsy often experience disturbed nocturnal sleep and an abnormal daytime sleep pattern, which often is confused with insomnia...
, sleep disorders and potential health issues, restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome or Willis-Ekbom disease is a neurological disorder characterized by an irresistible urge to move one's body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. It most commonly affects the legs, but can affect the arms, torso, and even phantom limbs...
, among other sleep disorders. Awake In America was incorporated
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
on July 15, 2004.
Individuals
The organization works with individuals and family members to share information about proper sleep and sleep hygieneSleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene can be defined as the controlling of "all behavioural and environmental factors that precede sleep and may interfere with sleep." It is the practice of following guidelines in an attempt to ensure more restful, effective sleep which can promote daytime alertness and help treat or...
, as well as treating sleep issues, and overcoming challenges related to therapies for sleep disorders.
Awake In America also helps individuals, generally individuals who have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, and at other times sleep labs and sleep specialists, to quickly and easily launch community education and support groups.
Businesses
Awake In America also works with businesses to help accommodate employees with sleep-related issues. Without accommodation, many individuals would be fired for falling asleep in the workplace, or for what may be perceived by others as a lack of attention. With appropriate accommodations in place, employees get time for rest during the work day, but in exchange, work other times to make up for the rest breaks, which results in the employer keeping a valued employee and not having additional costs related to hiring and training a new employee, and possibly saving on unemployment benefits expenses.Programs
Awake In America operates two (2) year-round relief programs, the Sleep Study Relief Program and the xPAP Donation and Relief Program, to assist American citizens who do not have health insurance, those who have inadequate health insuranceHealth insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
(does not cover sleep studies and/or Durable medical equipment
Durable medical equipment
Durable medical equipment is a term of art used to describe any medical equipment used in the home to aid in a better quality of living. It is a benefit included in most insurances. In some cases certain Medicare benefits, that is, whether Medicare may pay for the item...
), and those in financial straits.
In August 2005, Awake In America launched its premier direct-assist disaster relief program, Operation Restore CPAP, in response to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, and later expanded to cover victims from Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
, and its devastation on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' Gulf Coast.
The program had been authorized by the Board to operate for 90 days, which allowed the program to operate from September 1, 2005 through December 3, 2005.
During the 90 days that Awake In America's Operation Restore CPAP program operated in response to Hurricane Katrina, and later Hurricane Rita, Awake In America shipped replacement equipment, with an estimated value of about $47,000, to 97 individuals who had relocated to nine states, without charge to the recipients. Awake In America is the only organization to have such a program in the United States.