Experts to discuss sleep science and the health risks of sleep disorders in Baltimore this June

Latest findings in sleep research will be presented and discussed by more than 5,000 scientists and doctors at the SLEEP 2008 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies at the Baltimore Convention Center from June 9-12

WESTCHESTER, Ill. – Recent studies have linked sleep loss and sleep disorders to health problems such as depression, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke. The latest findings in sleep research will be presented and discussed by more than 5,000 scientists and sleep specialists when the SLEEP 2008 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies convenes at the Baltimore Convention Center from June 9 to 12.

More than 1,150 research abstracts will be presented at SLEEP 2008, which is a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The scientific program also includes symposia, clinical workshops, and discussion groups on topics ranging from neuroscience and genetics to dreams, sleep deprivation and aging. Clinical sleep specialists will discuss current practices in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea.

During the plenary session on Monday, June 9, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Dr. J. Allan Hobson will give the keynote address on “Sleep, Dreaming and Consciousness – A New Paradigm.” Hobson is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass.

“Sleep has an impact on virtually every aspect of our daily lives, including our daytime alertness, job performance, mental wellness, physical health and longevity,” said Dr. Michael Vitiello, chair of the APSS program committee. “The information presented during SLEEP 2008 will help the medical community promote good sleep health and provide appropriate medical care for the 50 million to 70 million people in the U.S. who suffer from a chronic sleep disorder.”

The Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC is a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. In addition to organizing SLEEP 2008, the APSS also publishes Sleep, a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal.