Delegate: Dr. Padma Shilpa Velkuru
Affiliation: World Sleep Society
Short Bio: Psychiatrist ( MBBS,DPM ) , Mindfulness Facilitator
(Addl : Mini-Fellowship in Behavioural Sleep Medicine )
Activity: The activity focused on exploring this year’s World Sleep Day theme –
” MAKE SLEEP HEALTH A PRIORITY ” through a video presentation shared on social media platforms.
➡️ WHY do we need to prioritize Sleep Health ? – benefits of Sleep ,
effects of Sleep Deprivation
➡️ WHAT does making sleep health a priority mean ? – Is it just the
duration ( recommended number of hours ) ? Sleep health is multi-dimensinal RU-SATED Questionnaire ( Buysse DJ. Sleep health: can we define it? Does it matter? Sleep. 2014 Jan 1;37(1):9-17. Doi: 10.5665/sleep.3298. PMID: 24470692; PMCID: PMC3902880. )
➡️ HOW to make sleep health a priority ? – Developing a healthy and trusting sleep mindset through principles and practices of a healthy sleep lifestyle – a set of 5 key principles that underpin good sleep health developed by Prof.Colin A.Espie – Value, Prioritise, Personalise, Trust and Protect sleep. ( Espie CA. The ‘5 principles’ of good sleep health. J Sleep Res. 2022 Jun;31(3):e13502. Doi: 10.1111/jsr.13502. Epub 2021 Oct 21. PMID: 34676592; PMCID: PMC9285041. )
➡️ RESTORATIVE SLEEP and STRESS MANAGEMENT are 2 of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine .
➡️ Stress and sleep are interconnected; stress can disrupt sleep, leading to difficulty falling asleep, fragmented sleep, while poor sleep can exacerbate stress and anxiety, creating a vicious cycle. Mindfulness, a practice of focusing on the present moment without judgment, can be a powerful tool for managing stress by increasing awareness of thoughts and feelings, and promoting relaxation.
➡️ Weaving in informal mindfulness practices into daily routine can help in stress management – eg . Mindful Eating , Walking Meditation , taking Mindful pauses in the form of MINDFUL STOP .
➡️ Incorporating Body scan and Mindfulness visualization imagery into Wind-Down routine before bed time along with sleep hygiene practices can aid in ensuring RESTFUL, RESTORATIVE sleep.
➡️ WHEN to consult a health care provider ? – Common signs of sleep Disorders
Location: Virtual
Date of Activity: 23rd March 2025
Submitted by: Padma Shilpa Velkuru
