SLEEP 2009, hosted by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), is the only 3½-day meeting in the United States with a scientific program and an exhibition hall focused solely on sleep medicine and research. SLEEP 2009 takes place June 6 through 11 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle.

The APSS, a limited liability company composed of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Sleep Research Society (SRS), hosted the first meeting in June 1986. What began as a small meeting with a registration of 739 people, hosted by the Division of Sleep Medicine at Ohio State University, has grown to an annual event attended by more than 6,500 people.

The loyal thousands of returning attendees comprise physicians, researchers, technologists, students, and allied health care professionals who seek to increase their knowledge of the fields of sleep medicine and research, from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis and treatment to the role REM sleep plays in brain development.

This year, returning attendees may notice a few changes compared to years past. New rules affecting support provided by pharmaceutical companies will impact promotional items distributed at the meeting. In addition, the APSS is implementing several environmentally responsible changes for SLEEP 2009, according to the AASM.

SLEEP 2009 kicks off with two full days of postgraduate courses on Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7. Sunday night also marks the 7th annual Discovering the Secrets of Sleep fund-raising dinner. The night of networking, cocktails, dinner, and entertainment from the world’s first “Stand-Up Economist,” Yoram Bauman, PhD, raises funds to support the Sleep Research Society Foundation and the American Sleep Medicine Foundation.

At a Glance
What: SLEEP 2009 hosted by the APSS
When: June 6-11, 2009
Where: Seattle
How to register: www.sleepmeeting.org

The plenary session for SLEEP 2009 begins at 8 am on Monday, June 8. Following a welcoming address, awards presentations and a keynote address will set the tone for the week. Howard P. Roffwarg, MD, former president of the AASM and the SRS, will deliver his keynote address, “Participation of REM Sleep in the Development of the Brain: Starting Hypothesis, Unfolding Data, Current Perspective.”

SLEEP 2009 allows attendees to pick and choose how they will garner new information with a variety of options, including poster sessions, clinical workshops, “lunch and learn” debates, discussion groups, “meet the professors” small group sessions, symposia, and oral presentations. A total of 43 CME credits can be earned by attending SLEEP 2009, while more than 110 companies will be lining the floor of the exhibit hall.

Registration for SLEEP 2009 is available online at www.sleepmeeting.org and on-site upon arrival in Seattle. Visit the Seattle tourism Web site at www.visitseattle.org for more information and things to do and see while attending SLEEP 2009.


Katie Griffith is associate editor for RT. For further information, contact [email protected].