Sleep medicine stood out at AAN 2026 as a growing area of focus in neurology. This year’s conference, held in Chicago from April 18-22, featured 18 courses, 22 posters, and 3 scientific sessions covering key topics of sleep and circadian science.
Sleep was visible not only in these sessions, but also in broader conversations across topics. “The interest is clearly there—even during dementia sessions, many of the questions centered on sleep,” says Joyce K. Lee-Iannotti, MD, Chair of the Sleep Section at AAN and a board member of both the AASM and AASM Foundation. The growing presence reflects continued collaboration between leaders in sleep medicine and neurology.
The trend will likely continue. The upcoming August 2026 issue of AAN Continuum will focus on sleep medicine, and there was a live Continuum Audio podcast recording at the meeting that featured sleep advocate, Dr. Karin Johnson, and will be released alongside the August issue.
The meeting also recognized leaders in the field, with Dr. Louise O’Brien receiving the Sleep Science Award and Dr. Eric Landsness receiving the Wayne A. Hening Sleep Medicine Investigator Award. Overall, AAN 2026 made it clear that sleep medicine continues to gain meaningful traction across neurology.
In addition to the meeting, the AASM Foundation held our “Special Celebration” on Monday, April 20th at the University Club of Chicago during AAN 2026. This event, sponsored by MEDIQUS Asset Advisors, honored the AASM’s milestone 50th anniversary and recognized Jazz Pharmaceuticals with our “Distinguished Donor” Award. Attendees enjoyed drinks, dinner, and a night of fellowship to celebrate the collective achievements that have driven progress in sleep medicine.
Special thanks to all of our volunteers and donors who are working together to raise the visibility of sleep and circadian science within the medical community.
