University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Showcases Groundbreaking Discoveries in Sleep Medicine at SLEEP 2024

Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences will present 19 abstracts at the upcoming 2024 SLEEP Conference in Houston, Texas. These presentations will feature several innovative studies shedding light on sleep health disparities across various populations. The studies underscore the critical role of environmental, social, and cultural factors in shaping sleep outcomes and highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions. Climate change and sleep is a recurring theme, with several of the team’s papers focusing on environmental factors and their impact on sleep.

Additional studies that the team will present at SLEEP 2024 include:

Impact of Sleep Environment on Insomnia Severity for Hispanics in Florida

• A pioneering study will be presented on the underexplored relationship between sleep environment quality and insomnia severity within Florida’s Hispanic community. The analysis of 221 participants reveals a significant association between poorer sleep environments and increased insomnia symptoms. This finding underscores the critical role of the sleep environment in shaping sleep outcomes and highlights the need for comprehensive interventions targeting environmental factors to mitigate insomnia within this demographic.

Climate Change and Sleep Health: The World Outside the Sleeper is Changing

• Another significant presentation will delve into the intricate interplay between climate change and sleep health. This study aims to elucidate how environmental and social factors influenced by climate change can shape sleep and circadian rhythms. Attendees will gain invaluable insights into the mechanisms underlying sleep disparities and the development of targeted interventions by exploring the profound influence of climate-related factors such as light exposure, noise, temperature fluctuations, and societal changes on sleep and circadian health.

Effectiveness of Peer-Delivered Sleep Health Education Among At-Risk Blacks

• A randomized controlled trial assessed the effectiveness of a culturally and linguistically tailored, peer-delivered obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) education (PEERS-ED) and social support to increase adherence to physician-recommended OSA evaluation among blacks. The study highlights the importance of peer-based social support in the decision to adhere to recommended OSA care, above and beyond the potential effect of tailored OSA messages. The findings suggest that participation in the study itself might have been a catalyst to activate blacks in the process of seeking OSA care, likely through a reduction in maladaptive beliefs about sleep.

Sleep Patterns Among Haitians: Insights into the Transnational Mental Health Burden

• A study on Haitian well-being provides insights into the transnational mental health burden of Haiti’s collapse. This research is timely given the ongoing turmoil and its escalating impact on the Haitian diaspora. The study identifies barriers and facilitators to mental health, shedding light on the profound impact of socio-political and economic factors on individuals’ mental states. By connecting sleep disruption directly to violence and trauma, the study broadens the scope of discourse on global health challenges, especially in disaster-prone regions. The recommendations proposed by the study for mental health programs and community-based interventions provide a concrete basis for policy discussions and highlight the crucial role of community and culturally appropriate support systems.

For more information on these studies and other groundbreaking research being presented at the 2024 SLEEP Conference, please contact:

Laura Castro

Director of Marketing and Communication

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

[email protected]