Sleepless in America

Summary: The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention now identifies sleep deficiency as a public health problem. Sleep affects every moment of our daily lives, from how we think and remember to how our bodies thrive or deteriorate. It determines how we deal with stress, make choices related to safety, and function as human beings. While most health education tends to focus on nutrition and activity, sleep is arguably the single most important factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and lack of it causes a significantly reduced quality of life. This presenter proposes that we prioritize sleep and improve daily sleep hygiene to enhance every facet of our well-being.

Intended audience: All adults can benefit

Objectives:

- Participants will discover surprising functions of sleep and how lack of it affects the mind and body
- Participants will learn daily habits that interfere with a good night of sleep
- Participants will learn 30 sleep tips and tricks to customize a plan that impacts overall well-being.

Susan Harris

Educator – Rural Health, Wellness, and Safety University of Nebraska Extension

Susan has a 14-year history of education, liaison, and administrative work in health, wellness, and safety. The passion she brings to teaching about the crucial need for quality sleep is derived from personal experience and curiosity about sleep. This has resulted in extensive research on the topic and interviews with pulmonologists, physicians, sleep center managers, sleep study patients, professors, and research experts. Susan’s education includes a bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences in Business, as well as a master’s degree in Health and Human Performance – Gerontology.