Overview

Sleep & Cardiovascular Health forms part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar, a coordinated programme of national public education presented by The Sleep Society to improve sleep health awareness across Canada.

Healthy sleep plays an important role in cardiovascular health. Insufficient sleep, poor sleep quality and untreated sleep disorders are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and stroke. Sleep also interacts with important cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes, obesity and metabolic health. By encouraging Canadians to recognise healthy sleep as an important component of heart health, this initiative aims to strengthen prevention, increase awareness of sleep disorders and promote better lifelong health.

WHY IT MATTERS

Cardiovascular disease remains one of Canada’s leading causes of illness and death. Sleep is increasingly recognised as an important component of cardiovascular health, alongside established factors such as physical activity, nutrition, smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose.

Both inadequate sleep and sleep disorders can affect cardiovascular health. Obstructive sleep apnea, for example, is associated with hypertension, cardiovascular disease and stroke, yet many people remain undiagnosed. Greater recognition of the relationship between sleep and cardiovascular health provides an important opportunity to encourage prevention, support appropriate treatment and improve long-term health outcomes.

BACKGROUND

Sleep & Cardiovascular Health is observed throughout February as part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar. The initiative promotes greater public understanding of the relationship between healthy sleep and cardiovascular health, encouraging sleep to be recognised as an important component of lifelong heart health, disease prevention and overall wellbeing.

For many years, public discussion about cardiovascular prevention concentrated primarily on exercise, diet, smoking, cholesterol and blood pressure. These remain critically important, but advances in sleep and cardiovascular medicine have strengthened our understanding that sleep also deserves a place in the conversation. Sleep duration, sleep quality, circadian health and disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea can all influence cardiovascular health. Recognising sleep alongside established cardiovascular risk factors provides another opportunity to protect health throughout life.

[POSTER]

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

The Sleep Society and SleepSafeCanada are currently working to:

• Promote public awareness of the relationship between healthy sleep and cardiovascular health.
• Increase awareness of sleep disorders and their potential importance to cardiovascular health.
• Develop educational resources for the public, healthcare professionals, workplaces and community organisations.
• Support annual awareness activities throughout February as part of Canada’s Sleep Calendar.
• Encourage collaboration with healthcare organisations, hospitals, educational institutions, governments and professional organisations.
• Build partnerships and national support to expand the initiative across Canada.

ENDORSEMENTS

We welcome the endorsement of governments, healthcare organisations, universities, professional associations and community organisations that support the aims of this initiative and greater recognition of healthy sleep as an important component of cardiovascular health.

PARTNERS

We collaborate with organisations that actively support the development, delivery and promotion of this initiative through education, research, collaboration and public engagement.

SUPPORTERS

We gratefully acknowledge organisations, businesses and individuals who support the aims of this initiative and help raise awareness within their communities and networks.

SPONSORS

We gratefully recognise organisations whose financial or in-kind support helps make this initiative possible and extends its reach across Canada.

RESOURCES

Access articles, fact sheets, videos, posters and downloadable resources relating to this initiative.

SleepSafeCanada

Canada’s National Sleep Health Awareness Initiative

FIND OUT MORE (Link)

SleepSafeCanada promotes public awareness of the importance of healthy sleep through Canada’s Sleep Calendar, national education campaigns, community engagement and public health initiatives that encourage healthier, safer and more productive lives.

A Better Sleep

Your Trusted Sleep Information Resource

FIND OUT MORE (Link)

For additional public information, articles and downloadable resources relating to this initiative, please visit abettersleep.net. The site provides trusted, evidence-based information to help people better understand healthy sleep, sleep disorders and the lifelong importance of healthy sleep.

The Sleep Society

Canada’s Interdisciplinary Sleep Health Community

FIND OUT MORE (Link)

The Sleep Society brings together healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, organisations and industry to advance sleep health through collaboration, education and research. Visitors can explore professional education, connect with Canada’s growing interdisciplinary sleep health community and locate healthcare professionals with an interest in sleep health.

GET INVOLVED

Help raise awareness of the initiative by sharing information, encouraging healthy sleep and supporting greater public understanding of the important relationship between sleep and cardiovascular health.

FIND OUT MORE (Link)

MEDIA CENTRE

Access news, media releases, campaign updates and other information relating to Sleep & Cardiovascular Health.

FIND OUT MORE (Link)

TOGETHER

The Sleep Society has selected Web Hosting Canada as its Strategic Technology Partner, supporting the continued development, delivery and national growth of this initiative while helping build the digital infrastructure needed to support future collaboration across Canada.

FIND OUT MORE (Link)