World Sleep Day (WSD) is an international campaign annually observed across the globe on the Friday before Spring Vernal Equinox to raise awareness about the importance of sleep health, the impact of good sleep on overall well-being, and promote the management and prevention of sleep disorders and treatment options.
- WSD 2025, the 18th annual Sleep Day was observed on 14 March 2025.
- WSD 2024 was observed on 15 March 2024; WSD 2026 will be observed on 13 March 2026.
- The theme and slogan for the WSD 2025 is, “Make Sleep Health a Priority“.
Note: WSD is annually organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society (WSS), aiming to lessen the burden of sleep problems on society.
Background:
i.WSD is an awareness event of the WSS, an international organization with a fundamental mission to advance sleep health worldwide.
ii.WSS was founded in 2016 by the merging of its two founding organizations, the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM) and the World Sleep Federation (WSF).
- WSD was started by a group of dedicated healthcare providers and members of the medical community working and studying sleep medicine and research.
iii.The 1st WSD was held on 14 March 2008 under the slogan “Sleep Well, Live Fully Awake.”
Significance:
i.Every year, the date of observance of the WSD varies but is always on a Friday and typically falls in mid-March.
ii.The specific date is chosen to correspond with the equinox, symbolising the importance of regular and balanced sleep patterns related to the balanced day and night during the equinox.
Points to Note:
i.The March Equinox marks the beginning of the Spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and Autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere.
ii.The March Equinox is called the Vernal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Autumnal/Fall Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.
iii.The September Equinox is called the Autumnal/Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the Vernal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.
iv.In 2025, the Spring Vernal Equinox (March Equinox) is set to happen on 20 March 2025, when day and night will be nearly equal in length, marking the shift from Winter to Spring.
Significance of Sleep:
i.Sleep is essential for effective cognitive functioning such as attention, language, reasoning, decision-making, learning, and memory.
ii.Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health. Experts recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night on a regular schedule for adults.
iii.For adults, approximately 32.8% of adults do not get enough sleep, leading to sleep deprivation. It has been linked with poor health, including:
- Weight gain and obesity
- Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure (BP)
- Heart disease, stroke, depression, etc.
Key Facts:
i.Men sleep for an average of 5 hours 46 minutes, while women sleep for an average of 6 hours, 11 minutes.
ii.30 minutes of optimal amount of exercise leads to 14 minutes of extra sleep per night.
iii.Resmed Inc., an American medical equipment manufacturer based in San Diego, California, the United States of America (USA), conducted its 5th annual Global Sleep Survey, covering 30,026 people across 13 markets to explore global sleep habits and attitudes.
iv.According to Resmed Inc.,’s 2025 Global Sleep Survey, the top 5 contributing factors to a poor night’s sleep are Stress, Anxiety, Financial pressures, and Mental health conditions.
- Stress, as a factor negatively affecting sleep, was reported to be highest in India (69%), South Korea (67%), and Thailand (65%).
About World Sleep Society (WSS):
President– Raffaele Ferri (Italy)
Headquarters– Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America (USA)
Established– 2016
