World Sleep Day began in 2008, organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society – Stock Image
An event hoping to help people get a better sleep at night is making its way to 4 Wing on Friday.
The 4 Wing Personnel Support Programs (PSP) Health Promotions and Community Recreation teams are gearing up for a Sleep Better Class to celebrate World Sleep Day on March 18th.
“This is the third time we’ve participated in World Sleep Day,” says Health Promotions Manager Lisa Fisher. “We had our first one in 2020, which unfortunately was also the day where COVID-19 regulations began to kick in. The year after, we were able to host it virtually, along with some online giveaways. This is actually our first year being able to do it fully in-person, in collaboration with the Community Recreation group.”
Starting at 6:30 PM, a class that will give meditation instruction, yoga techniques and ways to get a deeper sleep will be hosted at the Mackenzie Arts & Community Centre located at CFB Cold Lake.
“This course is for anyone who is having a hard time sleeping,” says Community Recreation Supervisor Jasmine Ouellette. “Instructor Dawn Meyer will walk us through some breathing techniques, some mediation techniques and some poses that will be good not just to fall back asleep, but get a deeper sleep.”
World Sleep Day began in 2008, organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society, to celebrate the benefits of a healthy sleep and highlight the link between lack of sleep and medical, social and psychological ailments.
“Each registered participant will get an eye mask as well as a set of earplugs as a sleep kit,” adds Fisher. “Each year there’s a different theme for World Sleep Day. This year is ‘Quality Sleep, Sound Mind, Happy World.’ ”
“We hope some people learn some new tips and tricks to sleep better,” adds Fisher. “We also hope this raises awareness to the fact that sleep is incredibly important, and lots of times we don’t focus on it. Research shows that quite a few Canadians put sleep on the back-burner to try and be more productive during the day. We want to put it at the forefront and show it’s important for our overall health and wellness.”
People interested in attending can book their spot on the CAF Connection website. Attendance is limited.