By: Sam A. Kashani, MD
As President of the California Sleep Society (“CSS”), I am proud to join sleep health advocates across the nation in recognizing Sleep Awareness Week 2026, observed this year from March 8 through 14. Sleep Awareness Week serves as a vital annual reminder that sleep is not a luxury, it is a biological necessity and a cornerstone of good health.
This year’s Sleep Awareness Week coincides with the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, a moment when most Americans lose an hour of sleep overnight. It is a timely and poignant reminder of how profoundly even small disruptions to our sleep can affect our daily functioning and long-term well-being. We encourage people to use this week as an opportunity to reflect on their own sleep habits, to speak openly with their healthcare providers about sleep concerns, and to take meaningful steps toward better rest.
CSS is committed to advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, and many others. These are real medical conditions that can be effectively managed when recognized and treated. We urge people who experience chronic difficulty sleeping, excessive daytime sleepiness, or loud snoring to seek evaluation from a qualified sleep medicine specialist. Too many suffer in silence when effective help is available.
On behalf of CSS and our members, which include physicians, researchers, technologists, and sleep health professionals throughout the state, I call on every Californian to make sleep a priority this week and every week. Better sleep leads to healthier lives, safer communities, and a more productive state. Let us use Sleep Awareness Week 2026 as the beginning of a lasting commitment to the restorative power of sleep.