Meet the advocates, organizations and activities recognized for advancing sleep health around the world.
World Sleep Society is proud to recognize the 2026 World Sleep Day award recipients, celebrating outstanding efforts that advanced sleep health, engaged communities and brought this year’s message, “Sleep Well, Live Better,” to life. This work reflects the heart of World Sleep Day: Local action. Global impact.
We extend our sincere congratulations to the recipients and our appreciation to each of our 320 World Sleep Day Delegates who submitted activities from more than 60 countries. Your leadership continues to elevate sleep health around the world.
Together, we build healthier communities through better sleep.
From community education programs and school-based initiatives to workplace campaigns and public awareness events, these activities and our continued effort translate sleep science into lasting real-world change.
Celebrating the World Sleep Community
The 2026 World Sleep Day Awards recognize 20 delegates across five award categories.
The award-winning activities demonstrate that there is no single way to advance sleep health. Progress can begin with a conversation, a classroom, a community gathering, a clinical program, a workplace initiative, a research-informed campaign or a creative project.
Together, these efforts help make sleep health more visible, accessible and actionable.
Explore World Sleep Day activities and learn more.
Congratulations to our 2026 Award Recipients
Antonio Culebras Award:
Recognizes excellence in promoting sleep’s essential role in health
Carol Lorena Soza Rodriguez, Chile
Carol Lorena Soza Rodriguez is a dentist with more than 20 years of experience in the Chilean public health system, a Master’s degree in Public Health and postgraduate training that includes sleep medicine. Her work reflects a strong connection between sleep health, public health and community well-being.
Liborio Parrino Award:
Recognizing excellence in artistic expression, connecting sleep health through creativity.
Saleem Hadi, Singapore
Saleem Hadi’s “Letters to ‘Z’ Monster” invited members of the public to reflect on their relationship with sleep through personal letters. The submissions are being incorporated into the creative development of a future multidisciplinary theatre production exploring sleep and modern life. The activity demonstrates how art and storytelling can create new ways for communities to engage with sleep health.
Sleep Equity Awards:
Recognizing meaningful efforts to expand sleep health awareness, education and support among communities facing geographic, social, cultural or other barriers to access.
Sleep HAIbeat, Portugal
Based on Flores Island in the Azores, Sleep HaIbeat’s “Sleep Like a Baby” initiative provided accessible, evidence-based education about infant and child sleep to families and caregivers in a remote community with limited access to specialized sleep services.
Hadija kaherewa, Tanzania
Hadija Kaherewa’s initiative through the Itigi Massare Bridge for Peple with Disabilities focused on inclusive sleep heath education for people with disabilities, caregivers, youth, women, community health workers and the broader community. The program connected sleep health with mental health, disability and community well-being.
Katarokwi Indigenous Sleep Research Team at Queen’s University, Canada
The team organized a community-centered event in Kingston that incorporated Indigenous knowledge, cultural safety, relationships with land and holistic approaches to sleep and well-being.
Center of sleep and mental health «inPsy», Ukraine
The Center of Sleep and Mental Health “inPsy” developed a multi-format public awareness campaign addressing sleep challenges during wartime. The initiative combines a public talk, educational videos and a free practical guide addressing nighttime awakenings and other common sleep concerns.
Distinguished Activity Awards:
These activities stood out for their breadth, creativity, interdisciplinary engagement and commitment to translating sleep health awareness into action.
Department of Mind Body Medicine & Lifestyle Sciences, Physiology and Psychiatry, SRIHER, Tamilnadu,, India
SRIHER developed an extensive series of interdisciplinary activities spanning academic learning, pediatric outreach, community education, senior wellness, student engagement and lifestyle-focused health promotion.
Montserrat Reséndiz-García & Matilde Valencia Flores. Clínica de Trastornos del Dormir, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán – UNAM, Mexico
Clínica de Trastornos del Dormir at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán and UNAM delivered a broad outreach initiative engaging parents, families, staff and community audiences across age groups.
Fernando Carlos Ferreira – Occupational Health Group at The Navigator Company, Portugal
Navigator Sleep Week embedded sleep health, fatigue prevention and well-being into a structured three-year occupational health initiative, with particular attention to shift workers and continuous operations.
Indonesia Sleep Society (PERDOKTIN), Indonesia
PERDOKTIN delivered a national campaign combining home sleep apnea testing, public education, professional education and community outreach across multiple cities. The multidisciplinary program engaged both healthcare professionals and the public.
Honorable Mentions:
World Sleep Society also recognizes 10 additional delegates with 2026 World Sleep Day Honorable Mentions.
Among these recognized activities, examples include pediatric and caregiver education in Nigeria, a comprehensive pediatric sleep program in India, a community walk and sleep awareness survey in the United Kingdom, and sleep health education for caregivers of children with developmental disabilities.
Oluwatosin Olorunmoteni, Nigeria
Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep, Shishuka Childrens Hospital, India
Abiolad Foundation UK, United Kingdom
Jitka Bušková, National Institute of Mental Health, Czech Republic
Yerin Cho, Mongolia
Psychologist Ebru Azak, Cyprus
Pilar Santelices, Chile
Penelope Kolovou | Writing for Health, Greece
Wellness Research Lab, Bar-Ilan University, Directed by Prof. Jonathan Rabinowitz, Israel
Learn more about this year’s awarded activities at worldsleepday.org