Sleep research in the United States of America: A new blueprint for the future

Abstract

In the past 50 years since the discovery of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, there has been a remarkable increase in the amount of public and scientific interest in sleep and sleep disorders. Much of the increase in sleep research in the USA was stimulated by the establishment of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research and the development of a National Sleep Disorders Research Plan (SDRP). In 2003, the USA SDRP has been revised to reflect the accomplishments of recent years and acknowledge gaps that remain in our understanding of sleep and sleep disorders. Although intended to assist sleep researchers in the USA, the new SDRP also should be of interest to Japanese sleep researchers and others worldwide.