TORONTO, Sept. 18, 2013 /CNW/ - The 6th Canadian Sleep Society (CSS) Meeting will be held in the Maritime-Canadian town of Halifax. This year's theme, "Make Time 4 Sleep," encompasses the importance of sleep in an always-on 24/7 Western society, the rich history of Halifax, which revolves largely around the town clock, and its world-renowned circadian rhythm researchers.
The CSS meeting will bring together over 500 national and international delegates and sleep researchers to discuss and exchange ideas on the very latest scientific results concerning healthy sleep and sleep disorders across all age groups.
"I'll sleep when I'm dead," is a quote so pervasive throughout Western societies that Bon Jovi penned a song with this very title and Clive Owen acted in a 2003 film by the very same name. However what the song, the film and the legions of exhausted workers regurgitating this line have failed to recognize is that without sleep one cannot live and this is precisely why making time for sleep is so important.
"The most important thing I say to patients who are looking for help with their sleep is, 'if you do not make time for sleep I won't be able to help you'," said Dr. Charles Samuels, Vice President Clinical of the Canadian Sleep Society.
"There are no medications, psychological exercises or therapy or any other interventions to improve sleep if the person doesn't make time in their day to rest, recover and sleep."
Without sleep one's circadian controlled cells cannot function properly. The higher risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure will put a strain on the cardiovascular system. Short term memory quickly begins to slip away, the ability to learn new tasks and focus on tasks that you do every day disrupt workers, cause stress to employers and present as hyperactivity in young children.
It is because of the research created in all of these areas by legions of dedicated doctors and scientists that this information is now available to general practitioners and the general population. It is because of this research that companies around the world, like the Huffington Post, have nap rooms and provide time for their tired employees to rejuvenate themselves.
In the interest of furthering the scientific understanding of why sleep is so integral to the body and mind the CSS will have five internationally known keynote speakers, nine symposiums, three oral sessions, two panel discussions and one workshop available to doctors and delegates over three days at this year's meeting, and for the first time ever two lectures available to the public.
Topics as diverse as diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea, sleep disturbances in infants and toddlers, the relationship of sleep to ADHD and consequences of chronic sleep restriction will be part of the agenda.
For the interested laymen Dr. Joseph De Koninck will be speaking about the "Origins, Functions and Consequences of Dreams," Friday Oct. 4th at 4 pm. For present, or future parents, Dr. Jodi Mindell will be speaking about how to help your children sleep through the night on Saturday Oct. 5th at 1 pm.
This year's CSS Meeting will take place Oct. 4-6 at the Harbourfront Marriott.
PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2013/09/18/20130918_C8016_DOC_EN_30945.pdf
SOURCE: Canadian Sleep Society
concerning the CSS meeting or to schedule an interview with VP Research of the CSS, Dr. Celyne Bastien, please contact the media liaison Ramona Zacharias at: Em: [email protected] Ph: 416-318-8561
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