Promoting science, research and public health care in Sleep Medicine

SLEEP
EUROPE
FOUNDATION

The Sleep Europe Foundation (SEF) is a legal, non-profit foundation under German civil law based in Regensburg, Germany.

The purposes of the foundation are the promotion of science and research, as well as the advancement of public health in the field of sleep medicine. The foundation’s purpose is realized, in particular, through the awarding of research prizes and the organization and/or support of events and courses dedicated to education and further training in the field of sleep medicine.

More about SEF
Our funding program
Sleep: friend or foe
Financing our funding program

THE Sleep Europe Foundation

Show commitment by promoting sleep science, research and health care.

Who we are

The foundation pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes. The foundation works selflessly; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.

At their general assembly in September 2022 in Athens, Greece, the members of the European Sleep Research Society decided to found the Sleep Europe Foundation and to provide it with a foundation capital of a total of EUR 370,000, of which EUR 250,000 were donated as basic assets and EUR 120,000 as so-called consumption assets.

A clear majority of 83.33% of voting members supported the establishment of the Sleep Europe Foundation.

The legal establishment took place through recognition by the responsible foundation authority in October 2023.

What we stand for

The purpose of the foundation is to promote science and research as well as public health care in the field of sleep medicine. The foundation’s purpose is achieved in particular by awarding research prizes and organizing and/or promoting events and courses that serve to provide training and further education in the field of sleep medicine.

Every donation helps

To be able to fulfill our purposes, we rely on your donations and support. Please support the Sleep Europe Foundation with your donation or sponsorship and become part of our activities and projects. Above all, you will help to ensure that healthy sleep becomes a familiar topic in public health education for all generations.

SEF Applications

Our funding program

Advancing public health and sleep medicine in Europe through research funding, awards, and education

Career Development Award 2026

It was a great honour to present the 2026 Career Development Award at the opening ceremony of Sleep Europe 2026. Many thanks to our partner, the ESRS, for providing this special setting.

The awards, each endowed with 20,000 EUR, were presented in recognition of outstanding contributions by Dr. Erna Sif Arnardóttir (ESRS/SEF President) and Prof. Dr. Vladyslav Vyazovskiy (ESRS Vice President Basic/SEF Board member). Their presentation highlighted the importance of supporting excellence and advancing research in the field of sleep science.

Grollero D. (Italy)
Biecher E. (Italy)
Hernandez C. (Italy)
Pazzato M. (Switzerland)
PROJECT: ISO-BOOST
The infra-slow sigma oscillation of NREM sleep as a cortico-autonomic rhythm: cross-species characterisation
and closed-loop acoustic amplification in mouse and human.

Schnelzer, S. (Austria)
Conessa, A. (France)
PROJECT:Temporal interference stimulation of the human hippocampus during sleep to enhance motor memory consolidation

Career Development Award

The Sleep Europe Foundation (SEF) supports cooperation between European laboratories and helps early-career researchers develop their careers in sleep research and sleep medicine.

To support these goals, the SEF created the SEF Career Development Award. The award is open to postgraduate and postdoctoral scientists who plan to carry out a collaborative project with partners from at least two countries.

Projects may be new or already underway and can focus on basic, translational, or clinical sleep research and sleep medicine.

This year, the SEF received many excellent applications. As a result, the SEF Board decided to award two prizes of €20,000 each.

The SEF Career Development Award is sponsored by the Sleep Europe Foundation and presented in cooperation with the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS).

Supporting public health

Healthy sleep is important for physical health, mental health, and social wellbeing.

Across Europe, countries differ greatly in how much they include sleep health in their public health plans. Some countries have national mental health plans that include sleep, while others do not.

SEF will support public health by funding projects and training that promote healthy sleep and show that sleep is an important part of good health.

SEF will also help connect project organizers with potential sponsors.

To submit a proposal, please email the contact below.

SEF 2026 Travel Awards

This year, we offered 20 travel grants (each EUR 500) for Sleep Europe 2026 (the 28th Congress of the ESRS) in Maastricht.

Priority was given to applications from early-career congress participants who are presenting their own work (via a poster or an oral presentation).

The need for and the value of such support were demonstrated by the grateful feedback from the supported scientists at the SEF booth during the congress.

In this way, SEF contributes to the diversity of scientific input from European countries.

The importance of Sleep

Sleep: friend or foe

Friend or foe, sleep accompanies us all along our life from birth to death. Sleep fulfills essential functions to keep brain and body able to answer the challenges of our life.

Good sleep is important for enabling mental and physical recovery. Good sleep promotes health, quality of life and performance.

Lack of sleep and sleep disruptions lead rapidly to harmful changes in physical and psychological well-being.

Sleep is one of the most sensitive markers of health problems. Indeed, most sleep diseases can have a negative impact on mood, cognition and, in the long term, many bodily functions and life expectancy. These disorders also contribute to cardiovascular disease, strokes, diabetes and depression.

Call for finance

Financing our funding program

Discover how corporate sponsorships and donations from individuals and organisations help advance sleep research, support scientific excellence, and improve sleep health across Europe.

Corporate Sponsoring

As a corporate partner you are vital in helping us to share and promote our foundation purposes in the field of sleep medicine.

Private Donations

On the occasion of a personal event, more and more people want to ask their guests for donations for our meaningful and worthy purpose – science, research and public health in the field of good sleep and sleep disorders instead of gifts.

Corporate Donations

The main motive for becoming a donor at SEF should be your desire to support SEF in its grant and education program.

Networking

Our Partners

The ESRS – European Sleep Research Society is an international, scientific, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting excellence in sleep research and sleep medicine across Europe and beyond.

Our Leadership and Team