Our Mission

About Us

Project Sleep is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about sleep health, sleep equity, and sleep disorders.

Project Sleep’s Mission

Believing in the value of sleep, Project Sleep aims to improve public health by educating individuals about the importance of sleep health, sleep equity, and sleep disorders. Project Sleep educates and empowers individuals using events, campaigns, and programs to bring people together and talk about sleep as a pillar of health.

Educate

Empower

Advocate

Connect

Project Sleep hosts events throughout the year to educate and empower the sleep community, and raise public awareness of sleep disorders. Explore our month-by-month calendar of community events and check out the annual Sleep In campaign and World Narcolepsy Day (#WorldNarcolepsyDay).

Project Sleep is passionate about educating decision-makers and advancing progress through public policy and advocacy efforts. By elevating the voices of individuals facing sleep-related issues and leveraging policy expertise, we are helping to improve outcomes for people across America.

The Narcolepsy Nerd Alert series invites fellow Narcolepsy Nerds to explore unique aspects of the narcolepsy experience, contemplate bold questions, and learn from each other. After each broadcast, we create a corresponding printable toolkit featuring participants’ insights.

The Rising Voices leadership program trains people with sleep disorders to effectively raise awareness through public speaking, serving the dual purposes of fostering a new generation of patient-advocates spreading awareness of sleep disorders while empowering participants.

Why Sleep Health, Sleep Equity and Sleep Disorders?

We believe in bridging the gaps between sleep health, sleep equity and sleep disorders. All are urgent public health issues facing our nation and must be addressed simultaneously. Learn more about sleep health, sleep equity, and sleep disorders.

Get the facts on sleep loss, sleep equity, sleep disorders, and sleep and mental health! Medical professionals are, on average, receiving less than two hours of education on sleep health and sleep disorders during their entire medical education.

Help raise awareness and spread the facts about sleep with this free, downloadable flyer!

Sleep Facts

More About Project Sleep

Meet Our Leadership

Expert Advisory Board

See Events Calendar

Listen to our Podcast

Watch Julie’s TEDx Talk

Our Impact

From Our Community:

“The Rising Voices program provided foundational storytelling skills, making me a more confident advocate.”

Rachel Miyazaki

Rising Voices Graduate 2018

“It was humbling to receive the Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship, which represents all the work Project Sleep has done to create awareness and advocate for people with narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. It is inspiring to know I can achieve great things despite the limitations of narcolepsy. This scholarship was an honor to receive and it helps me realize I am not alone!”

Jackson

2023 Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship Recipient

“I knew I wanted to raise narcolepsy awareness but I was having difficulty narrowing down my story. The Rising Voices program provided exactly the framework I needed; now my audiences are intrigued and fascinated by my speech. Rising Voices also gave me a platform and credibility as a speaker and advocate, which makes it easy to book events.”

Shannon Burkoth

Rising Voices Graduate 2017

“I valued the space created by this event to have safe conversations with my community. I also enjoyed the storytelling workshop and left feeling inspired! It was literally the first time in eight years that I’ve had an opportunity to be present and get familiar with my own narcolepsy. Thank you for visiting Austin and our Texas community!”

Vanessa

Event Participant

“This was a phenomenal experience. So much warmth and connection in the room. Relishing in the togetherness left my heart feeling so full. Also, I’m so grateful that my husband could attend with me. His perspective on what I go through changed dramatically from this experience.”

Sharon

Event Participant

“I feel proud receiving the Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship, and it is comforting to know I am supported by an organization that understands and cares about narcolepsy.”

April

2023 Jack & Julie Narcolepsy Scholarship Recipient

“While sleep and circadian scientists are making incredible breakthroughs to better understand sleep’s vital role, it’s critical that we ensure that these findings reach people and improve lives. Partnering with Project Sleep has helped the Sleep Research Society to take our efforts to the next level and fulfill our goal to enhance medical research and public health activities focused on sleep.”

Patrick Fuller, PhD

Chair of Advocacy Task Force, Sleep Research Society; Associate Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

“I was hesitant to apply for the Rising Voices program because public speaking was out of my comfort zone, but I knew I wanted to be a voice for others to spread awareness. After giving four presentations, this experience has been so surreal! I am confident and I strongly feel that I am sharing an important message.”

Grisel Pantoja

Rising Voices Graduate 2017

“So relieved the Sleep Helpline is available to help those of us who feel stuck and don’t know where to begin. Thank you!”

Anonymous

Sleep Helpline

“Seriously one of the coolest, most rewarding things I’ve ever done. Sharing my story was important to me so no one else goes 20 years without a diagnosis. It was an honor to be with other amazing patient advocates and great researchers. I won’t ever forget this day!”

Thaddeus Bath

Patient Advocate, Project Sleep

“I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to advocate for sleep research. Every aspect of my daughter’s life has been affected by narcolepsy, like many people with sleep disorders. Advocating to my Members of Congress is a dream that I wouldn’t have thought to dream. Yet a dream realized none the less.”

Tammy Smith

Board Member, Wake Up Narcolepsy

Project Sleep’s Latest News

headshots of the 2025 congressional sleep letter co-signers

29 Representatives Co-Sign 2025 Bipartisan Congressional Sleep Letter

On May 23, 2025, a group of 29 U.S. Representatives co-signed a bipartisan Congressional letter in support of prioritizing sleep medical research and public awareness at a national level. This letter notes the troubling lack of coordinated sleep activities in public health and urges the CDC to modernize sleep public health. Starting on Monday, May 5,…

Kristen Cascio Shares Her Sleep Apnea Journey in SleepWorld Magazine

Kristen Cascio, a Rising Voices speaker and clinical social worker living in Boston, MA, shared her sleep apnea story in SleepWorld Magazine’s new Patient Voices column, created in partnership with Project Sleep. Kristen was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea at age 31 after living with excessive daytime sleepiness, brain fog, and other unexplained symptoms for…

Project Sleep at SLEEP 2025

Project Sleep will be in Seattle, WA for SLEEP 2025, held June 8-11, 2025. SLEEP 2025 is the 39th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC (APSS). The annual SLEEP meeting is dedicated to clinical sleep medicine, sleep and circadian research, and sleep health. Project Sleep will have the opportunity to share our work…

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