Sleep, Health and Performance
Professor: Andrea Spaeth, PhD
Synopsis: Topics to be discussed include: biological systems underlying sleep and circadian rhythms, causes and consequences of insufficient sleep and the importance of sleep hygiene for health and optimal performance.
Pre-requisites: 01:119:115, 01:119:116 and 830:101
Course Summary: The majority of college students in the U.S. report sleep problems such as insufficient sleep, difficulty falling asleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness. Unfortunately, this trend continues into adulthood with one-third of adults reporting chronic sleep deprivation. Recent research has highlighted the negative consequences of sleep loss on health, safety and performance. This class will provide an introduction to the biological systems underlying sleep and circadian rhythms and a discussion of the relationship between sleep and health (e.g., immune function, metabolism, cognitive function). The impact of sleep on safety (e.g., drowsy driving, medical workplace accidents), and performance (strength, endurance, military and spaceflight operations) will also be covered. You spend one-third of your life asleep – come and learn more about its function! (3 credits)
Independent Research Projects
Dr. Spaeth accepts 2-3 Undergraduate Student Assistants in the lab to help with data entry, processing, and collection. Undergraduate Student Assistants work with the Lab Coordinators (full-time staff) and Graduate Students primarily. Prior exceptional students have earned authorships on papers and presented at local conferences. Only students with sufficient availability (10h/week during normal business hours) and strong work ethic should apply. First and second-years are encouraged to apply as this provides a multi-year experience. Students will be emailed when there are openings in the lab.
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