Lourdes DelRosso, MD, PhD is a Professor of Family and Community Medicine at University of California San Francisco, co-chairs World Sleep Day, is the Director of World Sleep Academy, and chairs the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Public Awareness Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. She is active in research, clinical care and education in the field of pediatric sleep medicine with a focus on restless sleep and restless legs syndrome.
How many years have you been in the field of sleep?
13 years. Before I specialized in sleep medicine, I worked seven years as a family physician and five years as a medical technologist.
What led you to work in sleep medicine?
As a family physician, I soon became aware of the importance of sleep in the overall health of my patients. I realized that I did not have enough training to adequately diagnose and treat sleep disorders in my patients, so I decided to specialize in sleep medicine. Sleep medicine is a fascinating, multidisciplinary field, which is still relatively young, with a lot more to learn, research and work to do to educate the world on the importance of healthy sleep.
Why is patient advocacy important to you?
Patient advocacy is important because it supports and empowers patients to improve their sleep health and therefore improve their overall health and quality of life. By educating the public and bringing awareness about the importance of sleep and the connection between sleep and health, we will raise awareness about sleep disorders and their impact, ultimately promoting access to quality sleep care for all. Patient advocacy in sleep medicine is also important because it allows us to work with other health care professionals (nurses, psychologists, therapists, students), hospital administrators, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders to advance sleep care and enhance sleep health. Another key aspect in sleep medicine is that we underestimate the amazing impact that we can have. By improving sleep, we can help improve the lives of millions of people, as well as prevent or reduce the risk of chronic diseases, accidents, and other negative outcomes associated with insufficient or disrupted sleep.
What is one important thing you want people to know about sleep education?
It is crucial that everyone understands the incredible benefits of sleep for our health in general. When we take this concept to heart, we will want to prioritize sleep as a vital component of our well-being. Healthy sleep promotes healthy brain, development, immune system, cardiovascular system, memory, emotion, essentially every aspect of our health. Prioritizing sleep will also make us aware of the terrible consequences of sleep deprivation such as accidents, poor academic and work performance, chronic diseases, and poor decision making.
What are you most excited about?
Small interventions that improve sleep make tremendous differences in people’s lives. When we treat restless legs syndrome, people sleep better, and their life changes. When we diagnose and treat obstructive apnea, lives are changed. That is what I am most excited about, seeing lives change when people sleep better.
“The role of a sleep advocate is to also inspire others to become sleep advocates. Whether you are a health professional or a patient, share your story, be passionate about sleep, and join our efforts to promote healthy sleep to every corner of the world.”
