National Sleep Foundation
Encyclopedia
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is an independent nonprofit organization in the USA whose objectives are to improve public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep
and sleep disorders, and to support sleep-related education
, research
, and advocacy
.
Established in 1990, the NSF relies on voluntary contributions including grants from foundations, corporations, government agencies and other organizations to support its programs.
The goals of the NSF are to ensure that:
Membership types include individual membership, professional membership, Pickwick Club Membership, Sleep Awareness Cosponsors and Community Sleep Awareness Partner (CSAP) Membership.
Grant sources include foundations, corporations and federal agencies.
Grants accepted from corporations, which include companies involved in health care
and consumer products and services, are only accepted on an unrestricted basis, meaning that the foundation alone determines the ideas and content published or promoted in the program created by the grant support.
All of the educational resources produced by the National Sleep Foundation are developed and/or reviewed by independent experts selected for their knowledge about a particular subject. They comprise a task force for review of a designated project and their service is generally listed in the project publication.
The foundation's policy ensures that its recommendations are consistent with positions of the National Institutes of Health
, findings of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
, guidelines of relevant medical societies, and professional consensus statements or best evidence based on scientific research published in peer-reviewed journals.
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 disorders, and to support sleep-related education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
, and advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
.
Established in 1990, the NSF relies on voluntary contributions including grants from foundations, corporations, government agencies and other organizations to support its programs.
The goals of the NSF are to ensure that:
- Americans are aware that their sleep is an important component of their health and safety, and that they make obtaining sufficient sleep a priority.
- Americans recognize the signs and symptoms of sleep disorders and seek effective treatment for them.
- Public and private institutions operate in a manner consistent with providing optimal sleep for human health and performance.
- The incidence of drowsy driving is reduced so that it is rare and an exception.
- New sleep-related discoveries are made that optimize public health and detection and treatment of sleep disorders.
Programs and activities
- National Sleep Awareness Week - A public education, information, and awareness campaign that coincides with the return of Daylight Saving Time, the annual "springing forward" of clocks that can cause Americans to lose an hour of sleep.
- Sleep in America polls - PollsOpinion pollAn opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
that focus on different demographicsDemographicsDemographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
every year the surveysStatistical surveySurvey methodology is the field that studies surveys, that is, the sample of individuals from a population with a view towards making statistical inferences about the population using the sample. Polls about public opinion, such as political beliefs, are reported in the news media in democracies....
are conducted. For example, the 2006 poll surveyed American adolescentsAdolescenceAdolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
and young adultAdultAn adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age....
s, and the 2004 poll focused on infantInfantA newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...
s up to schoolSchoolA school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
-aged childChildBiologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren. - Sleep Care Centers - More than 800 sleep centers both nationally and internationally partnered with NSF to raise public awareness about the vital importance of sleep in their communities; the sleep centers are dues-paying members of the National Sleep Foundation.
- Drowsy Driving Prevention Week - A national campaign to save the lives of young drivers by raising awareness of the dangers of drowsy driving and providing resources for advocacy at the state level.
- Pillow Talk (registration required) - A social networking site that allows visitors to share their experiences with sleep and sleep disorders.
Funding and editorial independence
The National Sleep Foundation is supported by a number of sources, including individual donors, sales of educational materials, advertising, investment income, grants and memberships.Membership types include individual membership, professional membership, Pickwick Club Membership, Sleep Awareness Cosponsors and Community Sleep Awareness Partner (CSAP) Membership.
Grant sources include foundations, corporations and federal agencies.
Grants accepted from corporations, which include companies involved in health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
and consumer products and services, are only accepted on an unrestricted basis, meaning that the foundation alone determines the ideas and content published or promoted in the program created by the grant support.
All of the educational resources produced by the National Sleep Foundation are developed and/or reviewed by independent experts selected for their knowledge about a particular subject. They comprise a task force for review of a designated project and their service is generally listed in the project publication.
The foundation's policy ensures that its recommendations are consistent with positions of the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
, findings of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
, guidelines of relevant medical societies, and professional consensus statements or best evidence based on scientific research published in peer-reviewed journals.
National Sleep Foundation Directory of Sleep Professionals
The National Sleep Foundation offers a "Find a Sleep Professional" web directory for patients searching for healthcare specialists in their area. This database includes board-certified sleep specialists, dentists, cognitive-behavioral therapists, and other doctors who routinely see patients with sleep problems.Publications and Newsletters
The National Sleep Foundation publishes the following:- sleepmatters - NSF's award-winning magazine filled with valuable news, information and tips.
- NSF Alert- NSF's weekly e-mail newsletter.