Delegate: Anastasiia Shkodina
Affiliation: Poltava State Medical University; The Institute of Sleep Disorders and Psychotraumatic Disorders
Short Bio: I am Anastasiia Shkodina, a Ukrainian neurologist specializing in sleep medicine and neuropsychiatric disorders. I am currently pursuing my PhD at the Department of Neurological Diseases at Poltava State Medical University. Additionally, I head the Sleep Medicine and Psychology Research Committee at the Institute of Sleep Disorders and Psychotraumatic Disorders. As a member of the European Sleep Research Society, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the World Sleep Society, I actively integrate international expertise into my research and clinical practice.
My scientific interests focus on the impact of sleep on mental and physical health, particularly how sleep disorders affect the nervous system, cognitive function, and emotional well-being. I pay special attention to studying sleep disorders in the context of stress and war, developing new approaches to their diagnosis and treatment. Beyond research, I am engaged in clinical practice, providing consultations for patients with sleep disorders and conducting educational initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of quality sleep and effective ways to improve it.
The Institute of Sleep Disorders and Psychotraumatic Disorders (ISDPD) is a leading Ukrainian organization dedicated to the education and training of specialists in the treatment of sleep disorders and psychotraumatic conditions. Founded in January 2019, ISDPD stands as the first institution in Ukraine to focus specifically on this vital area of medicine and psychology. The institute's primary mission is to deliver high-quality training for professionals in behavioral medicine and sleep psychology, particularly somnotherapists. This field, which integrates medical and psychological approaches to address sleep disorders, was established in Ukraine in 2017 by Oksana Voloshyna. ISDPD routinely offers training sessions, advanced courses, and certification programs for specialists addressing sleep disorders and nightmares. Through these initiatives, the organization aims to enhance awareness and expertise in this important field throughout Ukraine.
Activity: Today, on World Sleep Day, a special binary class on “Prioritizing Sleep for Better Health” was organized for the medical students of the Poltava State Medical University (Poltava, Ukraine). The event was held by Anastasia Shkodina, a postgraduate student of the Department of Neurological Diseases, and Dmytro Boiko, an associate professor of the Department of Psychiatry, Narcology and Medical Psychology. The aim of the class was to raise awareness among future doctors about the importance of quality sleep for the overall health of patients. The lecturers discussed in detail the physiological mechanisms of sleep regulation, its structure and its impact on various body systems.
A special emphasis was placed on the practical aspect: students were given the opportunity to analyze their own sleep habits by taking the Sleep Hygiene Index. The results became the basis for an individualized analysis of the principles of sleep hygiene based on specific examples of the participants.
“Such classes are extremely important for developing a comprehensive approach to patient health in future doctors. Sleep disorders are often overlooked in the treatment of many diseases, although their correction can significantly improve the course of the underlying disease and quality of life,” said Dmytro.
Postgraduate student Anastasia, who recently completed her studies at the World Sleep Academy, emphasized that this year's World Sleep Day slogan, “Make Sleep Health a Priority,” reflects the urgent need to increase attention to sleep issues both in the medical community and among the general public.
The class ended with a discussion of practical recommendations that students can use both for themselves and in their future clinical practice. The students were presented with an advisory video prepared as part of Anastasia Shkodina's outreach project for Tier 3 World Sleep Academy and dedicated to somnoeducation and its importance for the population of Ukraine in the context of the ongoing war.
The video is available on the official YouTube channel of the World Sleep Society here: https://youtu.be/L_YyETMdZzc.
We invite everyone to familiarize themselves with the material and share it with their colleagues. The video presents the model of public education on sleep hygiene developed by Anastasia and Dmytro, which can be found in their publication and has already been used to prepare educational activities for the general public. The presentation contains two QR codes: one with a manual with detailed recommendations on sleep hygiene in Ukrainian for the public and family doctors and the second with a link to the publication so that colleagues can familiarize themselves with the proposed approach (https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1513509).
Spreading awareness about the importance of healthy sleep is especially important now, when many Ukrainians are facing sleep disorders due to stress, anxiety and other consequences of the war. Let's make our sleep a priority for our health and well-being by spreading knowledge about its importance together!
Location: Poltava, Ukraine
Date of Activity: 14-Mar-2025
Submitted by: Anastasiia Shkodina
