For Immediate Release

Contact: info@stopsarcoidosis.org

THE FOUNDATION FOR SARCOIDOSIS RESEARCH SUPPORTS
2007 NATIONAL SLEEP AWARENESS WEEK

Chicago, IL (08 March 2007) – As the nation prepares for the return of Daylight Saving Time this Sunday March 11, the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research joins with the National Sleep Foundation in urging sarcoidosis patients and their families to sleep in on Sunday morning, instead of losing an hour of sleep.

“Sleep: As Important as Diet and Exercise (Only Easier!) is the theme of National Sleep Awareness Week® this year, and it’s a good reminder for those of us with chronic diseases to practice healthy habits that promote sleep, not only when the clocks change, but throughout the year," said FSR President and patient Andrea Wilson.

National Sleep Awareness Week®, the annual health promotion campaign sponsored by NSF, takes place during the days leading up to Daylight Saving Time; this year it is March 5 - March 11.  It is a perfect time for sarcoidosis patients and their families to evaluate the amount of sleep they usually get and make a commitment to get the recommended seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep every night during that week.

NSF and FSR offer the following tips to help adjust to the return to Daylight Saving Time:

• Try to sleep a bit more than usual a few nights prior to and immediately following the time change to help reduce any sleep debt you may be carrying.

• Take a nap in the afternoon on Sunday if you need it, but not within a few hours of your regular bedtime.  Napping too close to bedtime can disrupt nighttime sleep.

Simple steps such as keeping consistent bed and wake times and following a regular bedtime routine can promote better sleep throughout the year.  Good 'Health Habits that Promote Sleep' include:

• Maintaining a regular sleep and wake time every day, even on weekends.

• Establishing a regular bedtime routine. Try a relaxing activity before getting into bed – avoid an alerting ‘brain activating’ or stressful task close to bedtime.

• Keeping your bedroom cool, dark and quiet.

• Using a mattress and pillow that provide comfort.

National Sleep Awareness Week® is also a good time to learn more about sleep problems, particularly how to recognize them in yourself and in family members. Many sarcoidosis patients suffer from fatigue and sleep disturbances. Several recent studies have also shown that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in sarcoidosis. Restless legs (RLS) and painful legs are often reported by sarcoidosis patients. These symptoms can frequently interfere with sleep quality.

• Sleep apnea—a serious, potentially life threatening condition characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. Sleep apnea may be associated with irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.  It is treated with a mask-like device called a CPAP, continuous positive air pressure, which fits over the nose and mouth and pumps air into the throat to keep air passages open.

• Snoring—caused by a partial obstruction to the air passage that causes the tissue to vibrate resulting in a snoring noise. Snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep.

• Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)—a neurological movement disorder characterized by unpleasant tingling, crawling, creeping and/or pulling feelings in the legs causing an urge to move in order to relieve the symptoms and resulting in difficulty in falling and staying asleep.

If you or a family member are experiencing symptoms of a sleep disruption, talk to your doctor.  Sleep problems are often treatable.

FSR works with the National Sleep Foundation as an annual Sleep Awareness Co-Sponsor. For more information on how you can minimize sleep loss, improve your sleep and recognize the signs of treatable sleep disorders, visit NSF's Web site at www.sleepfoundation.org.

The National Sleep Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of sleep and sleep disorders, and by supporting education, sleep-related research and advocacy.  National Sleep Awareness Week® is a registered trademark of the National Sleep Foundation. Use of this trademark and the related logo in advertising or promotions of any sort is limited to 2007 National Sleep Awareness Week® Corporate Contributors, Community Sleep Awareness Partners®, and Sleep Awareness Co-Sponsors.

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) is the nation’s leading organization dedicated to improving care for patients and to finding a cure for this disease. Since 2000, FSR has worked to position sarcoidosis as a growing problem on the U.S. health care agenda and established itself as the authoritative resource for patients, health professionals and the public.