National Sleep Awareness Week on March, 2025: Can sleep deprevation contribute towards epilepsy?

National Sleep Awareness Week 2025. National Sleep Awareness Week Kicks Off Daylight Saving Time ... National Sleep Awareness

These statistics frighten me. The 2002 National Sleep Awareness Week this year emphasizes dangers such as drowsy driving, stress, anger and road rage. But the dangers of sleep deprivation go far beyond these visible risks. Sleep deprivation can, in fact, undermine all areas of your physical and mental health.

Sleep deprivation weakens the immune system leaving us more susceptible to other diseases and disorders like diabetes, cancer and even the common cold.

It is not uncommon for people who suffer from sleep deprivation due to sleep disorders - sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia, etc. - to also suffer from other problems including diabetes, asthma or a second sleep disorder.

Sleep deprivation also causes much stress and, again, stress weakens our immune system - a double whammy. And both of these things, sleep deprivation and stress, can upset your mental processes. You may suffer from confusion, memory loss, irritability or emotional highs and lows. If you already have a mental disorder, sleep deprivation only adds to the problem.

Many elderly people suffer from insomnia and other sleep disorders. For the elderly, sleep deprivation can be even more dangerous. Sleepy people are less focused on what they are doing or where they are going, and this could lead to falls or even to becoming lost on an unfamiliar street. Of course, added to other problems of the elderly, Alzheimer's, dementia, or even memory losses, and you have a real problem.

So, if you want to stay healthy, be sure you get the sleep you need. If it means a change in lifestyle like cutting out some of your activities or altering sleep habits, remember, if you don't have your health, you probably won't be participating in these activities anyway. If your lack of sleep comes from a sleep disorder, or even if you suspect you may have a sleep disorder, talk to your doctor and ask if he thinks you should have a sleep study done.

Sleep - it's one of life's essentials.

Where can I find a list of appreciation and awareness months?

Full List of Awareness Dates

January

1-31 National Blood Donor Month

1-31 Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

1-31 Poison Prevention Awareness Month

1-31 Financial Wellness Month

4-11 Women's Self-Empowerment Week

7-11 National Thank Your Customers Week

17 Customer Service Day

21-27 Hunt For Happiness Week

25-31 NYC Restaurant Week

29 Chinese New Year

February

1-30 Marfan Syndrome Awareness Month

1-30 National Parent Leadership Month

1-30 Plant The Seeds Of Greatness Month

1-30 Library Lovers Month

1-30 Youth Leadership Month

1-30 National Weddings Month

1-30 Time Management Month

1-30 American Hear Month

1-30 Black History Month

1-7 Women's Heart Health Week

6 Ash Wednesday

6-13 National Patient Recognition Week

11-18 Heart Failure Awareness Week

12 Abraham Lincoln Birthday

12 NAACP Founded

14 Valentines Day

15 Susan B. Anthony Day

17 George Washingtons Birthday

18 Presidents' Day

March

1-30 American Red Cross Month

1-30 National Parent Leadership Month

1-30 Honor Society Awareness Month

1-30 Irish-American Heritage Month

1-30 National Athletic Training Month

1-30 National Caffeine Awareness Month

1-30 National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Month

1-30 National Clean Up Your IRS Act Month

1-30 National Collision Awareness Month

1-30 National Ethics Awareness Month

1-30 National Eye Donor Month

1-30 National Kidney Month

1-30 National Multiple Sclerosis Education and Awareness Month

1-30 National Nutrition Month

1-30 National Social Work Month

1-30 National Womens History Month

1-30 National Write a Letter of Appreciation Week

1-30 Poison Prevention Awareness Month

1-30 Steroid Abuse Prevention Month

April

1-30 Alcohol Awareness Month

1-30 Cesarean Awareness Month

1-30 Cancer Control Month

1-30 Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month

1-30 Jazz Appreciation Month

1-30 National Autism Awareness Month

1-30 National Child Abuse Prevention Month

1-30 National Infant Immunization Month

1-30 National Occupational Therapy Month

1-30 National Oral Health Month

1-30 Women's Eye Health and Safety Month

3 Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action

3 National Public Health Week (Climate Change)

4-10 Brain Tumor Action Week

5 Kick Butts Day (Tobacco-Free Kids)

6 National Alcohol Screening Day

7 World Health Day

11 National D.A.R.E. Day

11 World Parkinson's Day

14 Children With Alopecia Day (Alopecia Awareness)

16-20 Consumer Awareness Week

16 World Hemophilia Day

17 National Stress Awareness Day

20 Passover

19-26 National Infant Immunization Week

20-26 National Window Safety Week

21-28 Administrative Professionals Week

22 Earth Day

23 Administrative Professionals Day

25-30 National Oral, Head, and Neck Cancer Week

26 March for Babies (Walk America)

May

1-31 Haitian Heritage Month

1-31 American Stroke Month

1-31 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

1-31 Awareness of Medical Orphans Month

1-31 Family Wellness Month

1-31 Better Hearing and Speech Month

1-31 Better Sleep Month (Stress/Insomnia)

1-31 Clean Air Month

1-31 Correct Posture Month

1-31 Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Month

1-31 Healthy Vision Month

1-31 International Victorious Woman Month

1-31 Lyme Disease Awareness Month

1-31 Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

1-31 Motorcycle Safety Month

1-31 National Arthritis Month

1-31 National Athsma and Allergy Awareness Month

1-31 National Cancer Research Month month

1-31 National Celiac Disease Awareness month

1-31 National Hepatitis Awareness Month

1-31 National High Blood Pressure Education Month

1-31 National Mental Health Month

1-31 National Neurofibromatosis Month

1-31 National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month

1-31 National Physical Fitness and Sports Month

1-31 National Preservation Month

1-31 National Shoes for Orphans Month

1-31 National Stroke Awareness Month

1-31 Older Americans Month (Senior Citizens Month)

1-31 Skin Cancer Awareness Month

1-31 Tuberous Sclerosis Awareness Month

1-31 Women's Health Care Month

1-31 Ultraviolet Awareness Month

1 May Day

1 Ascension Day

1 Law Day

1 Loyalty Day

1 World Athsma Day

1 National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day

3 National Day of Prayer

3 United Nations World Press Freedom Day

3 Kentucky Derby

4-10 Brain Tumor Action Week

4-10 Be Kind to Animals Week

5 Cinco de Mayo

8 World Red Cross Day

8 VE-Day Anniversary

10 World Lupus Day

11 Pentecost

11 Mother's Day

12-16 National Neuropathy Week

12 World Fair Trade Day

12 International CFS Awareness Day

12 National Women's Check-up Day

14-25 Cannes Film Festival

15 Peace Officer Memorial Day

18 HIV Vaccine Awareness Day

19-25 Recreation Water Illness Prevention Week

24 National Schizophrenia Awareness Day

26 Memori

My child is 13, what should his bedtime be?

You picked the right time to ask this. It's "National Sleep Awareness Week" right now. (See the first link below. Within the story, there's a link to a National Institutes of Health booklet on sleep.)

The NIH says that "school-aged children and adolescents need at least 9 hours of sleep a night." Base the bedtime on the time he needs to be up in the morning; whenever it is that he needs to be up, his bedtime is 9 hours earlier.