Project Sleep Launches Important Sleep Apnea Education Program to Address Critical Gaps in Diagnosis and Patient Education

The new Sleep Apnea Squad program aims to provide well-vetted resources
to educate and empower millions of people living with sleep apnea around the world.

LOS ANGELES, July 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Project Sleep, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of sleep health, sleep equity, and sleep disorders, is thrilled to announce the official launch of a new sleep apnea education program, Sleep Apnea Squad. Hosted by renowned sleep apnea patient advocate and Project Sleep's Sleep Apnea Program Manager, Emma Cooksey, this new initiative will explore various aspects of living with sleep apnea and provide much-needed resources to help patients and families navigate the journey from diagnosis to treatment; from stigma to advocacy.

Sleep apnea is a chronic health condition where people repeatedly stop breathing during sleep, affecting up to 25% of adults in the US. The difficulty breathing during sleep could be caused by the airway closing (obstructive sleep apnea) or, less commonly, by the brain not sending the signal to breathe (central sleep apnea). Sleep apnea keeps people from falling into the deep sleep that the body needs, and puts a strain on long-term health.

"According to the American Medical Association, about 30 million people in the United States have sleep apnea, but only 6 million are diagnosed," said Julie Flygare, JD, President & CEO of Project Sleep. "This is why Project Sleep is taking action to help address this major public health gap so that more people get the information and support they need and deserve."

The Sleep Apnea Squad educational series will cover a wide variety of topics to help people living with sleep apnea and their loved ones navigate both the medical journey and the social experience. Each topic of the Sleep Apnea Squad series will be addressed first in a live broadcast, followed by a PDF toolkit, podcast, and social media shareables in order to accommodate various learning styles of our diverse community.

The first six live broadcasts will address the following topics:

1. "Could I have sleep apnea?"
2. Sleep Apnea Testing
3. Sleep Apnea Treatment Options
4. Making CPAP Comfortable
5. Fighting the Stigma of Sleep Apnea
6. New Medications for Sleep Apnea

"As someone who went undiagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea for more than a decade, I know how lonely and confusing this journey can be," added Emma Cooksey. "I cannot wait to work with leading clinicians and patient advocates via the Sleep Apnea Squad series to foster an incredible and diverse community of empowered sleep apnea advocates across America and around the world."

Project Sleep's programming is made possible by individual donors and corporate sponsors. Special thanks to Eli Lilly and Company and Apnimed for generously providing funding to support Project Sleep's Sleep Apnea Squad series to educate and elevate the sleep apnea community.

Join us for Sleep Apnea Squad's first broadcast, "Could I have sleep apnea?" airing live on Project Sleep's YouTube channel on Aug. 6, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. For more information and to sign up for updates, video recordings, printable toolkits, and podcasts, visit: project-sleep.com/sleep-apnea-squad/

About Project Sleep
Project Sleep is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about sleep health, sleep equity, and sleep disorders. The organization's programming includes the Rising Voices℠ leadership training, the Sleep Helpline™, the Sleep Advocacy Program, the Sleep Equity Initiative, Project Sleep's Podcast, the Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship, the Sleep Apnea Squad series, the Narcolepsy Nerd Alert series, World Narcolepsy Day, and the Sleep In. Follow Project Sleep on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, or visit their website at project-sleep.com.

Media inquiries: [email protected]

SOURCE Project Sleep