North East health tech innovator to host 24 hour sleep lecture

Sleep will be celebrated in style later this month as an ambitious event seeks to shine a light on the enduring value of regular rest.

Sleepstation, the North East-based, NHS-endorsed, drug-free online sleep service, is hosting its first 24 Hour Sleep Lecture on World Sleep Day.

Sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley will present the mammoth March 19 lecture virtually and attendees from across the globe will have the opportunity to ask key questions.

“Sleep is so important to all of us and everybody needs good sleep,” says Dr Stanley, Sleepstation’s director of sleep science.

“Of course I won’t be getting any sleep at all on March 19 and the irony isn’t lost on me!

“But Sleepstation wanted to do something that will have a significant short-term impact and lead to a long-term conversation around sleep.

“In almost 40 years researching sleep I’ve amassed a wealth of information and experience that I’m more than willing to pass on.

“I hope the 24 Hour Sleep Lecture educates and excites interest in a subject that’s often misunderstood.”

Regular sleep has been selected as the overall theme for this year’s World Sleep Day and Sleepstation founder and CEO Alison Gardiner says: “Sleep problems have never been more common.

“The global pandemic and the anxiety and stress associated with everyone’s worlds being turned upside down has caused untold damage to sleep.

“In many cases regular sleep routines have been disrupted. Trying to get back into a routine has been hampered by successive lockdowns, uncertainty over long term employment, home schooling and more.

“Regular sleep is a cornerstone of strong mental and physical health and Neil’s lecture will seek to cover every aspect of sleep and highlight its positive all-round contribution to mind and body.”

Sleepstation, which is based in Newcastle and North Tyneside, is free to access for NHS patients across the North East with a GP referral.

The groundbreaking service has experienced a surge in demand during the last 12 months and Alison expects sleep to remain a hot topic across the region as lockdown restrictions are eased and communities seek to return to normal this summer.

The 24 Hour Sleep Lecture will feature a special ‘insomnia hour’ which will provide targeted advice and guidance.

During this hour Dr Stanley will take questions and seek to provide answers for people who are experiencing the most common sleep problem — insomnia.

“World Sleep Day focuses on a number of social aspects and the pandemic has affected almost every aspect of society,” adds Alison.

“As an example we work closely with GiveToLocal, an organisation supporting local sports clubs and small businesses.

“It’s been a challenging time for everyone involved with community sport and there are players, parents, coaches and volunteers across the UK who have literally lost sleep worrying about what the future holds.

“But sleep is also a vital component of sports performance and our 24 Hour Sleep Lecture will include a session aimed at helping sports clubs incorporate sleep into their training regimes.

“We hope this can help clubs to kickstart their training when the lifting of lockdown restrictions allows.”

Dr Stanley will present a single, non-stop lecture on March 19 based on his 39 years’ experience and a timetable of the topics will be disclosed prior to World Sleep Day.

Attendees can register in advance and there will be ample opportunity to put questions to one of the world’s leading authorities on sleep.

Dr Stanley is a member of the World Sleep Society with 38 peer reviewed papers to his name. He regularly lectures on various aspects of sleep to healthcare professionals, companies and members of the public.

World Sleep Day is an annual event, intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep including medicine, education, social aspects and driving. Its focus in 2021 is the value of regular sleep.

Studies have demonstrated that stable bedtimes and rise times are associated with better sleep quality in all ages and a series of lockdowns across the globe have disrupted sleep patterns like never before.

Regular sleepers have better mood, psychomotor performance and academic achievement.

“Sleep has never been so popular as a topic for debate and discussion and the global pandemic has only served to open up the conversation,” added Dr Stanley.

“World Sleep Day and the Sleepstation 24 Hour Sleep Lecture is an opportunity to widen the debate and focus on the facts.”

To register your attendance at Sleepstation’s 24 Hour Sleep Lecture visit www.sleepstation.org.uk/24-hour-sleep-lecture