The fundamental mission of the WASM is to advance sleep health worldwide. WASM will fulfill this mission by promoting and encouraging education, research and patient care throughout the World, particularly in those parts of the world where the practice of sleep medicine is less developed. WASM will act as a bridge between different sleep societies and cultures, supporting and encouraging worldwide exchange of clinical information and scientific studies related to sleep medicine. WASM will seek to encourage development and exchange of information for worldwide and regional standards of practice for sleep medicine.

Because sleep health will be advanced by information, WASM will strive to advance knowledge about sleep and its disorders amongst both healthcare workers and the general public. This will include both education about the means to “healthy sleep” as well as awareness of the adverse consequences of sleep dysfunction on the quality of life and the health of an individual. To address the concerns of specific areas of the world, WASM will provide a forum for discussion and consideration of issues of relevance to particular regions and cultures.