World Sleep Day 2023: Theme, History, Significance and Quotes to Share

WORLD SLEEP DAY 2023: World Sleep Day is marked annually on the third Friday of March. This year, the event falls on March 17. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of good sleep and promoting healthy sleeping habits. Sleep Day was created by the World Sleep Society in 2008, and since then, it has been celebrated in countries all around the world.

Despite the crucial role of sleep in maintaining good health and well-being, many regions of the world tend to regard it as a luxury rather than a fundamental need. Unfortunately, the consequences of insufficient sleep are often ignored. To raise awareness about the importance of rest, World Sleep Day has been officially recognized since 2008 and is commemorated every year.

WORLD SLEEP DAY: HISTORY

A group of healthcare professionals and researchers specializing in sleep medicine initiated an annual awareness event known as World Sleep Day. The primary objective of this event was to promote and disseminate information about sleep disorders worldwide, bringing together healthcare providers to discuss and raise awareness about the importance of sleep.

Liborio Parrino, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Parma University, Italy, and Antonio Culebras, MD, Professor of Neurology at Upstate Medical University and Consultant at The Sleep Center, Community General Hospital, Syracuse, New York, USA, served as the first co-chairs of World Sleep Day.

WORLD SLEEP DAY 2023: THEME

The World Sleep Day’s theme this year is ‘Sleep is Essential for Health’. It emphasizes the importance of sleep as an essential element for maintaining physical, mental, and social well-being, just like eating well and exercising. Despite its crucial role, sleep is not yet widely recognized as a vital behaviour for good health. The day also provides a platform for numerous sleep health professionals and advocates to raise awareness about the significance of sleep health.

WORLD SLEEP DAY 2023: SIGNIFICANCE

Sleep medicine experts and researchers have repeatedly said that a night of good sleep is crucial for an individual’s health and well-being and it must be prioritized. The organizers of this awareness campaign also intended to highlight the significance of maintaining healthy sleeping habits.

WORLD SLEEP DAY 2023: QUOTES

1. “True silence is the rest of the mind- and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment, and refreshment.” – William Penn
2. “Even a soul submerged in sleep is hard at work and helps make something of the world.” – Heraclitus
3. “Sleep is the best meditation.” – Dalai Lama
4. “Your future depends on your dreams, so go to sleep.” – Mesut Barazany
5. “Life is something that happens when you can’t get to sleep.” – Fran Lebowitz