A submission to the Federal Government for funding a Joint Initiative by The Sleep Health Foundation and The Australasian Sleep Association November 2019 to promote awareness and behaviour change for all Australians empowering & educating primary care providers. The need to promote awareness around the importance of sleep has become increasingly apparent with the emergence of compelling evidence about its impact on mental, metabolic and physical health, quality of life and workplace productivity and safety.
The economic consequences of sleep loss and sleep disorders in Australia were estimated at $66 billion in a Sleep Health Foundation - Deloitte Access Economics report released in 2017 (and subsequently peer-reviewed and published internationally). In recognition of the importance of the sleep health of Australians, a Parliamentary inquiry was convened by the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport.
The report, Bedtime Reading, was released in April 2019 and produced 11 recommendations that aim to promote recognition of sleep as the third pillar of a healthy lifestyle alongside nutrition and exercise and improve access to services and therapies to address sleep disorders.