This article focuses on that form of Sleep Activism. The information in the article below was originally prepared by Dr. William Dement, perhaps the most visible and effective Sleep Activist of all time. There are other types of sleep activism aimed at educating the public and increasing awareness of sleep disorders and the importance of sleep to our health. This information on legislative activism is made available to you courtesy of the Wake Up America organization and Dr. Dement. Some slight editing has been done to update the article and fit it into the context of this web site.
Most people can be very active in promoting a cause if they truly care about it.
Effective activism usually requires being aggressive and pushy, refusing to take no for an answer, persistence, and quite frankly, a thick skin. In addition, an activist must realize that no matter how right the cause, how many people may be affected, and how much good can be done by Congressional action, progress will almost never occur spontaneously. There is always resistance to change. Some program or person is always threatened by change, and there is vast inertia. The only way to assure success is to push and push and push.