The Commission recommends that the Congress authorize the establishment of and appropriate sufficient funds to support a national center for research and education on sleep and sleep disorders to be housed within an existing NIH Institute. Strengthen Ongoing Programs Solving society's biggest sleep related problems must be a national priority. The Commission recommends that federal support for basic, clinical, epidemiological, health services, and prevention research on sleep and sleep disorders be expanded. The Commission found a near total absence of overall coordination and accountability for issues related to sleep among widely dispersed activities managed and regulated by the many federal agencies. The Commission identified a serious lack of career and training opportunities for young investigators interested in the field of sleep.
Research is essential for cures and better treatments of sleep disorders.
Currently, the important research questions far outnumber the available trained investigators. Ninety-five percent of victims remain undiagnosed, largely because health professionals have not had the opportunity to learn about sleep disorders and sleep deprivation. There is an urgent need for physicians, nurses, all health care professionals to be able to identify and refer or treat patients with sleep disorders. The Commission recommends that Congress encourage and support broader awareness of and training in sleep and sleep disorders spanning the full range of health care professions, particularly at the primary care level. The lack of awareness throughout America about the nature and impact of sleep disorders and sleep deprivation is a national emergency.