#StayHome. In a year when “social distancing” became more than a buzzy phrase, connecting with others took on new importance. Social media became indispensable in keeping up with rapidly changing current events while also serving as a bridge to our communities.
Sleep medicine professionals around the world took to social media to connect, care, and build community. From the AASM’s call to eliminate daylight saving time to the role that sleep plays in improving immunity, here are the hottest topics from social media this year.
1. The AASM’s call for the end of daylight saving time rapidly gained support on social media.
The AASM released a new position statement calling for the elimination of #DaylightSavingTime. Permanent standard time more closely aligns with the rhythms of the body’s internal clock. https://t.co/HK42DM4id5 pic.twitter.com/sfvk4bKdN1
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) August 28, 2020
2. On World Sleep Day in March, our online community recognized that sleep is one of the three pillars of health.
#Sleep, like exercise and nutrition, is essential to health and well-being. #WorldSleepDay pic.twitter.com/buvkgGwRdp
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) March 13, 2020
3. Sleep professionals around the world adapted and turned to virtual networking during SLEEP 2020.
Join the many #sleep professionals around the world who are sharing their thoughts about Virtual #SLEEP2020 on social media. Thank you for your participation! pic.twitter.com/k5vIGSWwAs
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) August 29, 2020
4. An interesting study used striking visuals to highlight the effect of sleep deprivation on appearance.
Putting a face to the idea of “beauty sleep”: an experiment in sleep deprivation uses a series of photos to show how appearance is affected by a lack of #sleep. https://t.co/zCpzXOXOHe
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) February 24, 2020
5. The sleep medicine community mourned the loss of Dr. William Dement and celebrated his life and legacy online.
As a world-renowned #sleep scientist and physician, Dr. William Dement was recognized as the “Father of Sleep Medicine.” Watch these videos, lectures, and interviews to learn more from Dr. Dement about his extraordinary career. https://t.co/w0tToQ3Hqv pic.twitter.com/72U4HX3mXe
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) June 17, 2020
6. As children around the country embarked on e-learning during the pandemic, the impact of screen time on sleep took on new importance.
In children age 5-8, using a smartphone over an hour a day was related to shorter total #sleep time and significant reductions in sleep quality. https://t.co/1oh98bDhId pic.twitter.com/Bap2rczexE
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) July 21, 2020
7. Gender disparities in sleep caught the attention of our online community.
A pattern of #gender differences exist in the #CircadianRhythm, say researchers. An analysis found that women tend to be morning people, are more active during the day, and are more resilient to #sleep disruptions than men. https://t.co/UBawXu2fxQ
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) September 4, 2020
8. Support grew for advocacy efforts of the AASM and Sleep Research Society to promote the importance of adequate sleep duration.
The AASM and @ResearchSleep submitted a joint letter to the CDC emphasizing that #sleep duration should be a topic of #publichealth importance. https://t.co/OyCOFNg59v pic.twitter.com/tR6VBh8uUT
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) January 29, 2020
9. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit America, many turned their attention to the role that sleep plays in bolstering the immune system.
#Sleep may not be a cure-all, but it is one of the best ways we can improve #immunity and defend against viruses. https://t.co/4vQ6lRPRX0 https://t.co/4vQ6lRPRX0
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) March 10, 2020
10. With insomnia rates climbing in 2020, the online community recognized the important role that CBT-I plays.
A program of cognitive behavioral therapy for #insomnia (CBTi) not only improves symptoms of insomnia, but it is also associated with a moderate-to-large improvement in symptoms of #depression, #anxiety, and #stress. https://t.co/IOnmp5pAzK pic.twitter.com/6bJ8eiMBbI
— American Academy of Sleep Medicine (@AASMorg) December 7, 2020
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