Assemblywoman Lisa Calderon introduced a resolution on the floor of the California State Assembly recognizing March as Sleep Apnea Awareness Month in California. The resolution formally acknowledges obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as a serious and underdiagnosed public health issue with consequences for individual health, workforce safety, and public safety.
“Sleep apnea is a silent but widespread condition that affects health and safety across our state, especially in underserved communities,” said Assemblywoman Calderon. “History shows that dedicated health awareness months consistently lead more people to recognize symptoms and seek diagnosis, and by recognizing Sleep Apnea Awareness Month, California is taking an important step toward early detection and more equitable access to care.”
Daybreak, a leader in clinically proven, non-CPAP treatment for OSA, is proud to partner with Calderon, alongside community health partners Clínica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero and SALEF. Together, they recognize the importance of advancing health equity in sleep apnea prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, particularly for Latino, Black, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities, as well as low-income, rural, and underserved populations that are markedly more likely to go undiagnosed.
As a part of this initiative, the state of California and its sponsors are bringing awareness to the direct impact of OSA on quality of life, including:
- Individuals with OSA are 2.5 times more likely to be the driver in a motor vehicle accident (AASM)
- OSA is observed to nearly double the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality, with risk rising as sleep apnea severity increases (MDPI)
- Workers with OSA have nearly twice the risk of occupational accidents compared with those without OSA (AASM)
Daybreak works to address gaps in sleep apnea care by offering a comfortable, discreet, and accessible alternative to traditional CPAP therapy. By reducing barriers to treatment, Daybreak helps more patients seek and sustain care, particularly those who have historically been underserved by traditional sleep medicine pathways.
“We’re going to march across the country in every state and create awareness in a way that has never happened,” said Founder of Daybreak, Wesley Lones. “What we’re doing is so much more than helping people sleep better. We’re giving people their life back.”
Daybreak is making its way across the country, spearheading educational awareness, with resolutions to follow in Massachusetts and Arizona. They are creating a growing coalition of the country’s top thought leaders in the dental and mental health space, as well as various disciplines of physicians and insurance companies, to help people sleep better and get their lives back.
