Join us at The National Sleep Foundation's Big Sleep Show, the first-ever consumer health event solely devoted to sleep and alertness at the Chicago’s Navy Pier on Saturday-Sunday, March 21-22, 2009. The National Sleep Foundation’s Big Sleep Show offers 10,000+ sq. ft. of exhibit/demo space with direct access to a wide array of expert sleep information, free sleep disorder and health screenings, product samplings and informative seminars.

Nowhere else will you find products and services, seminars and workshops all focused on sleep and alertness under one roof. You'll meet with doctors, authors, industry pioneers, innovative companies, research specialists - even a NASA scientist or two - all focused on the science of sleep and the benefits it can provide for you at home and work.

Because sleep is a vital human need our productivity, attitude, alertness -- our very well being - depend on its quality and quantity.

Consider these statistics and facts:

• Almost 74% of all Americans do not get enough sleep each night
• Sleep deprivation costs $150 billion each year as a result of elevated stress and reduced worker productivity
• An Institute of Medicine report estimates that 50 to 70 million Americans chronically suffer from a disorder of sleep and wakefulness, and confirms links to "an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and stroke"
• 95% of the people with Sleep Disorders remain undiagnosed and untreated
• Childhood insomnia is a high risk factor for adolescent alcohol and drug abuse
• A National Sleep Foundation poll shows that 67% of America's adults are married or live with someone who snores
• Vehicular crashes are the third leading cause of death and injury in the United States, and up to 20% of them are sleep related

The event is brought to you by the National Sleep Foundation in collaboration with NBC television and its popular, regional health event, the Healthy Lifestyle Expo. For more details and sponsor/exhibitor information, contact Tom Clifford at (202) 347-3471, tclifford@sleepfoundation.org or Reid Blank at (408) 420-3131, reid@thebigsleepshow.com.