October was an eventful month – the application deadlines for both our 2023 Strategic Research Grants and Young Investigators Research Forum passed, we celebrated Sleep Technologists Appreciation Week as well as National Health Education Week, retired our COVID-19 Relief Fund, and more. We are excited to see what November holds! Here are a few things coming up this November:

American Diabetes Month

November is American Diabetes Month. Sleep and diabetes have been found to have many correlations. Their relationship is two-fold in that poor sleep may put people at a higher risk of developing diabetes and/or obesity, and at the same time diabetes may be a cause of inhibited, poor sleep. Due to this substantive relation, it is important to remember the various ways that sleep affects your health, especially in regards to diabetes. Take a look at our results page to read some of the several published studies we have helped to fund regarding sleep and diabetes: https://foundation.aasm.org/project-results/

National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

Additionally, we celebrate National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month in November. Sleep and Alzheimer’s Disease have a complex and intertwined relationship. Sleep plays a large role in brain health. Inconsistent, poor sleep contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s and other neurocognitive disorders. This is why during National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, it’s important to ask yourself about the quality of your sleep habits. Learn more about AASM Foundation grant recipient, Dr. Omonigho (Michael) Bubu, a physician-scientist focused on Alzheimer’s Disease and sleep research: https://foundation.aasm.org/an-interview-with-dr-bubu/

Daylight Saving Time

Daylight saving time ended on November 6, 2022. We hope you remembered to set your clocks back an hour and avoided any time-related mishaps. In all seriousness, it’s important to get a consistent, adequate amount of sleep each night. The AASM and AASM Foundation advocate for the elimination of seasonal time changes, and it’s important to take action to ensure this change goes smoothly. Read about the benefits of good sleep and use our bedtime calculator to ensure you’re getting an optimal amount of sleep: https://sleepisgoodmedicine.com/

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week

This year, Drowsy Driving Prevention Week (DDPW) took place November 6-13, 2022. DDPW is hosted by the National Sleep Foundation and is meant to reduce the number of people who get behind the wheel while sleep-deprived. Drowsy driving is a serious public health concern that can result in accidents and life-threatening situations. Remember, drowsy driving is impaired driving.

2023 Career Development Grants Cycle

Our CDG Cycle 1 for 2023 will open on November 28th, 2022. We recognize that our vision of healthier lives through better sleep is impossible without the tremendous work of sleep physicians. Increasing the pipeline of physicians to sleep physicians is important to us. Our Career Development Grants strive to provide a helping hand to those interested in cultivating their career in the sleep field. This year, we are allocating $1,340,000 to our five 2023 CDGs. Read more about them here: https://foundation.aasm.org/announcing-the-2023-career-development-grants-cycle-1/