Alert, Well And Keeping Energetic

Northwest Arkansas Regional A.W.A.K.E.

The American Sleep Apnea Association is the only national non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about sleep apnea and to serving people with this common disorder.

The American Sleep Apnea Association is dedicated to reducing injury, disability, and death from sleep apnea and to enhancing the well-being of those affected by this common disorder. The ASAA promotes education and awareness, the A.W.A.K.E. Network of voluntary mutual support groups, research, and continuous improvement in care.

The ASAA A.W.A.K.E. Network is composed of hundreds of mutual-help support groups in nearly all 50 states for people affected by sleep apnea. The Network, founded in 1988, is an integral part of the American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA) and since 1990, the two have been partners in assisting patients, their families, and the healthcare community concerned with sleep apnea.

Committed to the belief that the ASAA A.W.A.K.E. Network must be patient-centered, Northwest Arkansas Regional A.W.A.K.E. members and coordinators plan and implement each group's activities so that they meet the needs of the local community. Meetings, led by the A.W.A.K.E. "coordinators", are held in the spring, summer and fall and guest speakers are often invited to address the group. Topics may include advice on complying with CPAP therapy, legal issues affecting those with sleep apnea, weight loss, and new research findings, as well as other sleep disorders.

Armed with knowledge about sleep apnea and other sleep disorders and methods of treatment, members of the Northwest Arkansas A.W.A.K.E. Group have a better understanding of the nature of their disorder and their prescribed treatment; thus they are more likely to take appropriate steps in managing their own health care. Network members are also apprised of the latest developments in the sleep field, and as informed individuals, A.W.A.K.E. members can play an important role in educating the public about many common sleep disorders. In addition, through interactions with others who share their diagnosis, persons with sleep disorders and their families can provide peer support and can suggest coping mechanisms to each other so that the sense of isolation common to sleep disorder patients may be alleviated.

While A.W.A.K.E. members view key parts of the sleep community as providing a valuable resource to them, the ASAA A.W.A.K.E. Network yields a beneficial experience for the staff of a sleep center or a home health care company as well. Like the patients, health care professionals benefit from the educational programs and also from the additional opportunities for patient follow-up. This encourages better communication among the patient, the sleep center's staff, and the home health care company and furthers the ASAA A.W.A.K.E. Network's goal of advancing better health for people with sleep apnea.

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