Sleep is fundamental to function, and more studies are looking into it.
Lakehead University is part of a study that was granted $1.37 million dollars to research sleep, insomnia and sleep intervention methods for those in high-risk workplaces where sleep is a safety concern.
With sleep being fundamental to all aspects of a person’s well-being, it’s especially concerning for those who are in high-risk workplaces to suffer from insomnia; like those in emergency services, long-haul truck drivers…etc.
Dr. Deborah Scharf is a co-investigator on this project. Her role is to help design and look at sleep interventions in those priority populations.
“Sleep is fundamental to all aspects of wellbeing,” Dr. Scharf said. “It impacts our feelings such as mood and anxiety, and our thinking including concentration and decision making….”
Trent Lynds, a master’s student in clinical psychology at Lakehead University, is also part of the team, promoting equity through his role as an Indigenous person and clinical psychology graduate student trainee.
Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder and has significant impacts on daytime functioning, including physical and mental health, social relationships, and cognition and learning.
The team will also develop eHealth programs to treat insomnia across the lifespan, building on the existing Better Nights, Better Days programs for children and youth ages one to 23 years old.
They will also create eLearning programs to provide healthcare professionals who are not sleep specialists, and educators with knowledge about sleep and its treatment.
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