In This Issue...

President’s message on COVID-19 situation in Victoria

Sleep Week news

Your ASA membership is now due for renewal

President’s message on COVID-19 situation in Victoria

I hope you are coping well during these difficult and rapidly changing times.

The ASA has been closely monitoring the situation in Victoria with the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. The Board and Clinical Committee remain in frequent communication with a broad range of senior sleep clinicians, including physicians and scientists who operate sleep services in the public and private sector in Victoria.  Maintaining a balance between staff and patient safety, providing optimal clinical care and minimising economic hardship is paramount.

With the reintroduction of stage 3 restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne (and Mitchell Shire) from 9 July, and Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommendations for hospital staff in patient or public facing areas, or where physical distancing cannot be maintained, to wear a surgical mask, the ASA is recommending at this time:

• A surgical mask should be work for all staff-patient interactions 
• Postponement of non-urgent CPAP or NIV studies for the lockdown period 
• These recommendations apply to the areas covered by the Victorian State Government restrictions 
• Local hospital and institutional policies may also be applicable.

The ASA will continue to monitor closely for any changes in Victorian DHHS policy (e.g. in relation to elective surgery/procedures, additional screening and PPE recommendations) and adjust our position quickly to align with this advice. We will look to organise another online forum to discuss the effects of these changes in the near future.  

Please take care during these difficult times, the ASA will continue to offer support and guidance as we work our way through these unprecedented challenges. As always, if you have any comments or input, please contact our CEO, Marcia Balzer.

Alan Young
President

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Sleep Week news

Abstract submissions closing soon

Abstract submission closes Friday 10 July, 10am AEST. We still have lots of space available, so get them in! If you’d like to submit, you can do this through our online submission portal.

Abstracts from advanced medical trainees not included in other sessions will be considered for the Advanced Trainee session in the main program. An extended deadline applies for abstracts submitted for this session of 10am AEST on Friday 7 August. 

Foundations of sleep 

A full-day online short course for the first day of Sleep Week, this is a perfect foundation for future learning in sleep medicine for dentists, pharmacists, nurses, general practitioners, surgeons, psychologists and medical advanced trainees.
View the program

Registration fees

$350 buys your passport to 33 hours of informative and engaging education! You can register to access all Sleep Week sessions with an Individual Passport registration. Registration for any session allows free online access for that session for 12 months.There are also many other registration options available

Some sessions are free for everyone:

• Early career researcher session (Tuesday evening)
• Opening and New Investigator Award session (Wednesday morning)
• Sponsored symposia session (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday evenings)
• Happy hours (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday evenings) 

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Your ASA membership subscription is now due for renewal

ASA membership subscription expired on 30 June. If you haven't renewed yet, log in to the website with your member details and renew through your account page (read how). Alternatively, call 02 9920 1968 to renew by phone with your credit card.

If you’re experiencing financial hardship, we don’t want that to stop you remaining part of the ASA. Please contact the CEO, Marcia Balzer, to discuss the options we have available. 

Did you know you can download your invoices from your account? View instructions

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What's on next?

We have another jam packed calendar for you in July and August starting with Clare Anderson discussing latest biomarkers of fatigue research on 14 July. To keep up to date on the latest webinars visit our events page.

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Developing biomarkers of sleep loss – toward an objective test of fatigue

Why do we need to know when someone is tired because of excessive sleep loss? And what does the future look like for ‘fatigue’ testing?  This webinar will answer these questions and more as Clare Anderson sets out the latest research on biomarkers of fatigue. When: 14 July 2020, 4pm AEST

Managing shift work
Healthcare professionals are the biggest group of shift workers in Australia. This webinar will provide an understanding of the health consequences of shift work and how to better manage it. When: 12 August 2020, 5pm AEST

Function-based behavioural interventions for sleep problems in children with developmental disabilities
This webinar will examine clinical work and research findings in the assessment and treatment of sleep problems in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and children with rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. When: 20 August 2020, 4pm AEST

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Deputy Editor-in-Chief wanted

The Sleep Research Society is seeking candidates for the position of Deputy Editor-in-Chief (DEIC) of the journal SLEEP. The ASA has been asked by the journal to help identify potential candidates for this position.

The journal is seeking a candidate with primary expertise in the area of sleep disordered breathing, broadly defined. 

Duties of the DEIC include timely, independent oversight of the review of manuscripts from submission to final decision. The DEIC also works with the Editor-in-Chief and senior Oxford University Press staff to set editorial policy for the journal, including participation in bi-annual strategic planning meetings and monthly Editor/Staff conference calls.

 If you are interested in having your name being put forward to the journal by the ASA please email your CV and a brief interest statement (<1 page) to Marcia Balzer by July 15, 2020.

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Sleep Health Foundation membership

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Sleep Health Foundation over the last year. We continue to gain ground in raising the awareness of the importance of a good night’s sleep and we remain committed to ensuring we get this message to as many people as possible. We have been pivotal in promoting sleep awareness and providing resources on sleep during stressful conditions such as the bushfires earlier in the year and more recently, COVID-19. 
We need your continued support and new support from others so we can continue our sleep awareness raising activities. If you are a member please encourage your colleagues to also join. Becoming a member of the Foundation is not just about what we can provide for you, it’s also about building strength in numbers and being a part of a wider community.

Membership annual cost is $75 + GST and is fully tax deductible.  The Foundation is a charity and we do not receive government funding to promote sleep awareness and the importance of good sleep to our general health, mental health and overall wellbeing. Membership renewals are due for payment now. If you joined online last year on the Foundation website you will get a renewal notice on your renewal anniversary date and we encourage you to pay this as soon as possible. If you have ever used any of the Sleep Health Foundation resources such as our wide arrange of fact sheets, we strongly encourage you to give back so we can continue to update and develop these. 

If you would like to become a new member you can select one of two options:

1. Register for your annual or lifetime membership account by clicking on "Join". 
2.  If you are an ASA member you can still renew your Foundation membership online or join when paying your ASA membership.  If you are an ASA member we encourage you to select this option - and note that some of you already have done so - thank you!

 An additional way to support the Foundation is to make a separate donation. Please consider the Foundation for your donation this year.

We look forward to welcoming many new members and returning members.

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Alan Young interview with Health Ed

Dr Alan Young discussed the impact of sleep loss on mental health and shared some of the latest management strategies for Heal Ed's GP audience. You can view the interview here.

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Call for papers on circadian health

Writing a paper about shift work, jetlag, or the timing and patterning of sleep, meals, and physical activity? Consider submitting it to Circadian Health, a Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, edited by ASA members Dr Yu Sun Bin, Dr Svetlana Postnova, and Prof Chin Moi Chow.

This Special Issue aims to bring together interdisciplinary research on the wide range of health behaviours and health outcomes that are affected by our circadian biology. Original research focused on understanding shift work, jetlag, light exposure, the timing of health behaviours, and the implications of circadian disruption on occupational safety, chronic disease, and mental health are welcomed.

The deadline for submissions is 30 April 2021. More information on the Special Issue can be found here

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ISI time frame questionnaire

Alix Mellor and Sean Drummond are interested to know the time frame clinicians use when asking a client to complete the ISI. If you are a clinician who is willing to help, please answer the question indicating the time frame(s) you typically use when administering the ISI. 

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