Class offers sleep aid through education

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Cody H. Ramirez
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  The 374th Medical Operations Squadron Mental Health clinic is offering sleep management classes to community members every third Tuesday of every month from 1 - 2 p.m. at the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

This class, which began in March, is available to anyone at Yokota, whether Active Duty, spouse, civilian employee or retiree.

According to Staff Sgt. David Salley, 374 MDOS Mental Health technician and class facilitator, the purpose of the class is to promote healthy sleeping practices and teach methods to resolve sleeping issues such as difficulty falling asleep and waking up, and constant interruptions in sleep schedules.

The class outlines information about insomnia, sleep myths, general sleep hygiene and how to combat sleep issues.

"Having healthy sleep management skills is just one of the many components in building and maintaining overall resilience and fitness," Salley said. "Sleep issues are very common among individuals in a military environment. There are many variables people have direct control over that can be adjusted to improve sleep. This class teaches people how to make some of the life changes necessary to promote healthy sleeping."

There are many side effects that come with a sleep issues, Salley said. A lack of sleep can affect work by:

Decrease in productivity
Negative communication skills
Lack of focus
Variety of other affects that vary between individuals

In addition to the class offered once a month, the 374 MDOS can facilitate a class for duty sections or base units who are interested. A 14-day advanced notice is requested from units coordinating classes.

For more information about the sleep class, call mental health at 225-3566.