Russia 2014: Moscow team: State Research Center Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center

The Russian Society of Somnologists is planning to organize the following activities for World Sleep Day aiming at the involvement of people of different age and with different professional occupations in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Activities held in Moscow

World Sleep Day at the Biological faculty of Moscow State University. President of Russian Society of Somnologists physiologist Vladimir Kovalzon, PhD and society member psychologist Elena Rasskazova, PhD gave lectures for faculty students about mechanisms and features of sleep and psychological factors of insomnia. Booklets containing 10 commandments of sleep hygiene for adults were spread. Audience – 50 students. [See images below]

World Sleep Day at Moscow regional library. About 20 young people came to listen to a popular-science lecture about somnology as a direction in scientific research and in medicine.

Chairman of youth committee of Russian Society of Somnologists, physiologist Elizaveta Rutskova, PhD spoke about the history of somnology and it’s most significant achievements. Vice-chairman of the committee, neurologist Irina Zavalko, MD told about normal sleep and sleep disorders. Booklets containing 10 commandments of sleep hygiene for adults were spread. Due to many questions and will of the auditors the meeting lasted 2.5 hours instead of planned 1.5 h. https://www.facebook.com/events/1459663477596375/?notif_t=plan_user_joined

World Sleep Day at Moscow museums. Booklets containing 10 commandments of sleep hygiene for children were spread at the Museum of experimental science. Presentation holding key points of practical knowledge and recommendations in sleep medicine was demonstrated at the State Darwin Museum. The booklets had a high interest from children and their parents. (https://vk.com/experimentanium?w=wall-24395662_2555%2Fall) [Picture below]

World Sleep Day in Sechenov First Moscow Medical University. Gennady Kovrov, MD, PhD, neurologist and Michail Agaltsov, MD, PhD, cardiologist gave lectures for around 50 graduate medical students about sleep physiology and sleep disorders, especially, sleep breathing disorders.

In the eve of World Sleep Day Irina Zavalko, MD together with an officer of Russian Traffic Police had a short talk during teacher-parent meeting in one of school In Moscow. More than one hundred of parents with favor investigate how dangerous is inattention and sleepiness of children, when they cross a road. After that the somnologist presented why good sleep is important for attention span, memory recall, learning and well-being of children and reviewed the 10 commandments of sleep hygiene for children. The lectures were short, but many parents wrote some notes, and we hope will use it. [Photos Below]

A week later Dr. Irina Zavalko gave a lecture at the Police Station for the police officers on sleep disorders in drivers and the role of sleepiness for traffic accidents. Unfortunately, the audience seemed to be a bit inactive, skeptical and not interested, but we still believe that these first small steps will be followed by future “long and high jumps”.

Russian Society of Somnologists contacted mass media, and the news company and a federal radio company came forward.

RIA Novosti organized online conference, during 50 min vice-chairman of youth committee of Russian Society of Somnologists, neurologist Irina Zavalko, MD and Michail Agaltsov, MD, PhD, cardiologist answered questions, written by the web-site visitors. Main points of the meeting were importance of adequate length, good quality sleep for the health and sleep breathing disorders, symptom of which could be snore. http://pressria.ru/online/949080452.html

During 25-min interview with the host on Radio Rossii, vice-chairman of youth committee of Russian Society of Somnologists, neurologist Irina Zavalko, MD discussed importance of good quality of sleep for health, why it is important to visit sleep specialist if the sleep is not restorative, modern methods of obstructive sleep apnea treatment and problems of sleep medicine system in Russia. http://www.radiorus.ru/brand/episode/id/57068/episode_id/975373/

An interview with President of Russian Society of Somnologists physiologist Vladimir Kovalzon, PhD was translated at Radio station “Mayak” 15th March “On sleep mechanics and the nature of dreams” (http://www.radiomayak.ru/person/show/id/2217)
Metro newspaper published an article.

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March 25, 2014
Working as a medical doctor, specialized in sleep disorders, I see many patients. Some of them have been looking for a doctor to treat sleep problems for many years, however, could not find a specialist. In contrary, a lot of patients do not pay enough attention to sleep. My aim at World sleep day is to inform people, provide them information and evidence-based data why sleep is so important, fight the common opinion that sleep is time-waster and tell them that many factors, and not only insomnia, could disturb their sleep.