Finnish Association for Sleep Disorders – Strategy 2025

Finnish Association for Sleep Disorders (FinASD) is an umbrella organisation for various sleep disorder associations in Finland. We offer support, help and information for patients with sleep disorders. In addition, we work nationwide with an aim to increase awareness of sleep disorders and to improve general knowledge and visibility of the effects sleep on physical and mental wellbeing.

Our values

Good sleep and vitality. Everybody has a right to sleeping well and vitality. We want to help people who suffer from sleep disorders and their close ones by offering them services and spreading awareness of sleep disorders. In addition, we look to lobby the needs of sleep disorder patients among the decision makers.

Trustworthiness

Our activities and communications are based on peer reviewed scientific research and knowledge, as well as experiences.

Human-orientation

We value all people as individuals. Our work is based on equality and justice.

Our mission

Our mission is to:

• improve the quality of life for those who suffer from sleep disorders by offering them information and peer support
• advance the recognition of the importance of sleep and vitality both in work-life and in the society as a whole
• improve the availability of public health care services for those with sleep disorders

Our activities

1. Events
   We organise open lectures, events, and campaigns during the Vireysviikko® (Vitality Week) in March-April, around the time when clocks are turned to summertime. On 27 July, Unikeonpäivä (Sleepy Head Day/Seven Sleepers’ Day) and Univiikko® (Sleep Week) in October-November as the clocks are turned back to normal (winter) time.
2. Communication
   We offer information about our activities, aiding and looking after your sleep in our internet pages at www.uniliitto.fi/en and our Facebook pages. You can also find information about our member associations’ activities there.  Each personal member of a sleep association receives a quarterly journal Uniuutiset (News on Sleep). The journal includes articles on sleep and sleep disorders, how to treat sleep disorders, peer support and news from us and our member organisations.
3. Advicing
   FinASD and our member organisations provide information and assistance on how to self-help sleep disorders. We can also give information about doctors and health care providers who specialise in sleep disorders.
4. Group activities
   We offer Unitupa peer support groups and Uniryhmä courses for sleep disorder patients. Unitupa groups are run by peers who have their own experiences on sleep disorders, while the Uniryhmä courses are led by health care professionals specialised on sleep disorders.
5. Training
   We organise training for both our care group and course leaders. In addition, we organise an annual Sleep Medicine Conference for health care professionals and researchers in cooperation with Suomen Unitutkimusseura ry SUS (Finnish Sleep Research Society).
6. Promotion of interests and societal influence
   At the heart of our activities is improving the availability of services for people with sleep disorders throughout the country especially in the public health care system. We also aim to gain official recognition sleep medicine as a specialised branch in medicine.
7. Co-operations
   In order to maintain and support our expertise and activities, we are in continuous co-operation with healthcare professionals, research units, other social and welfare associations, as well as commercial actors in the field.