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.
Recent News
- Dr. Patterson selected to join scientific review committee for Sleep Research Society.
- Dr. Patterson selected to join national American Academy of Sleep Medicine workgroup as part of a new, Centers for Disease Control funded, awareness program for obstructive sleep apnea.
- Dr. Covington was recently awarded the Rockefeller University Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing Award, and a Delaware CTR ACCEL Pilot Project Award,to study the associations between key facets of the family context on toddler and caregiver sleep health in low socioeconomic families.
- Dr. Hoopes is presenting at the upcoming Virtual Seminar Series hosted by the Sleep Research Society in August 2022.

Contact Info:
Email: fredap@udel.edu
Phone: 302-831-6588
Location: The Tower at STAR, 3rd floor
100 Discovery Blvd,
Newark, DE 19713