Sleep and Circadian Health Research Program

The Sleep and Circadian Health Research Program is directed by Freda Patterson, PhD. 

Good sleep is essential for good health. Unfortunately, poor sleep health is common, with more than 25% of U.S. adults regularly reporting insufficient or poor-quality sleep. Moreover, advancing technology and economic/social demands have contributed to our ‘24-hour’ society, increasing the likelihood that individuals’ sleep patterns may be irregular, or that sleep and wake may be occurring at inappropriate times relative to our internal biological rhythms. 

Our research program is interested in understanding how the amount, timing, regularity, and patterns of daily behaviors (namely sleep, physical activity, sedentariness, and eating) may play a role in chronic disease development, particularly in individuals at high risk for cardiovascular, metabolic, and pulmonary diseases. Our overarching goal is to develop viable and effective sleep- and circadian-based behavioral interventions to improve health and physical functioning in high-risk and underrepresented groups.