Mission Statement
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting sleep-related education, research, and advocacy.
Established in 1990, NSF relies on voluntary contributions including grants from foundations, corporations, government agencies and other organizations to support our programs.
The goals of the National Sleep Foundation 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.
Description
NSF Programs and Activities Alerting the public, healthcare providers and policymakers to the life-and-death importance of adequate sleep is central to the mission of NSF. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for Americans who suffer from sleep problems and disorders. This means helping everyone better understand the importance of sleep and the benefits of good sleep habits, and recognizing the signs of sleep problems so that they can be properly diagnosed and treated.
NSF programs include: 1. Far-reaching public education and awareness initiatives such as National Sleep Awareness Week and Drive Alert...Arrive Alive. NSF produces educational materials for the general public, such as our award-winning news magazine sleepmatters, brochures, videotapes and more. Media relations activities have garnered more than one billion media impressions each year.
2. Government relations and advocacy efforts to address legislative and regulatory issues related to sleep, alertness and safety, such as hours-of-service rules for commercial drivers. In addition, NSF advocates for federal funding of research and educational initiatives. Government relations staff works regularly with federal agencies as well as members and staff of key congressional committees.
3. Support of research through Pickwick Club fellowships. In addition, our highly respected annual public opinion surveys cover general information such as Americans' sleep habits, beliefs, and concerns, as well as specific topics, such as the impact of sleep problems on work productivity, women and sleep, and the effect of pain on sleep.
4. Outreach to healthcare providers to enhance primary care givers' understanding of sleep-related problems and treatments and to provide sleep medicine clinicians with tools to help them expand their reach and make positive changes within their communities. Publications targeted toward medical professionals include Sleep Medicine Alert newsletter and "white papers" on topics such as insomnia and melatonin.
What You Can Do The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) relies on grants, sponsorships, memberships and other contributions to help us provide comprehensive education and awareness programs. In addition, we actively collaborate with other concerned organizations - sleep centers, support groups for patients with sleep disorders, safety organizations, and many more - to help spread our important messages and improve public health.
You can make a difference!
