National Sleep Awareness Week 2026: Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Prachi Singh Shares Importance of a Complete Night’s Rest

March 9, 2026 · Baton Rouge, LA

A critical component of health, sleep can improve memory, promote brain health, strengthen the immune system and more

Sunday, March 8, marked the start of daylight saving time, when clocks move forward and many people lose an hour of sleep. It is fitting, then, that National Sleep Awareness Week – an initiative of the National Sleep Foundation – begins the same day and continues through March 14. During the week, sleep health organizations encourage the public to consider the importance of healthy sleep habits and their impact on overall well-being. The observance also coincides with World Sleep Day, recognized on Friday, March 13, by the World Sleep Society, which highlights the global importance of sleep and promotes better sleep practices worldwide.

Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s Dr. Prachi Singh is more than just an advocate for healthy sleep. As the director of the Sleep and Cardiometabolic Health Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical, she has a deep understanding of just how crucial sleep is to long-term health.

“Sleep is free! It’s the easiest thing you can do to improve your health,” said Dr. Singh. “As we learn more and more about the value of sleep and its necessity to our health, we are discovering that there is a tremendous deficit in sleep, which has been found to be linked to cognitive impairment, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular events. If you focus on improving sleep, then depression and anxiety levels go down, and you’re able to feel happier and see an improved quality of life.”

In Dr. Singh’s lab, she and her team explore how sleep alters cardiometabolic risk factors. Poor sleep, defined as insufficient sleep duration and sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea, has been linked to obesity, morbidity and early death. The lab examines the mechanisms through which sleep and sleep disorders contribute to hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Americans of all ages are reporting that they experience insufficient sleep at night, but among children, Louisiana ranks near the bottom nationally. According to a 2024 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50.3% of children in Louisiana experience sleep deficits, with several other southern states also ranking among the lowest. Researchers cite a variety of factors contributing to these deficits, including stress, excessive screen time and early school start times.

While the laboratory investigates the biological mechanisms underlying sleep and disease, the research reinforces many practical strategies for improving sleep. Dr. Singh and her team encourage creating a relaxing sleep environment, limiting screen time before bed and paying attention to habits that influence sleep quality. In addition to well-known tips to improve sleep quality, Dr. Singh’s research has generated other practical tips for improvement.

“A consistent sleep schedule is helpful, but the challenge is to retain it on weekends as well,” said Dr. Singh. “Your body doesn’t know when Friday rolls around. Some people try to catch up on sleep during the weekends, which is fine, but be careful that it does not disrupt your schedule and give you a sleep debt on Monday. Additionally, while exercise is vital for good health, try not to do it late in the evening. Finally, if you are considering taking supplements, be sure to let your doctor know, as additional precautions are recommended for some supplements like melatonin.”