Researchers at Auburn University's College of Human Sciences have secured a $2.73 million R01 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. This funding will support their project titled "Good Nights Sleep Program: A Randomized Clinical Trial to Improve Children's and Parents’ Sleep."
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The grant is awarded to Dr. Brian Gillis, assistant professor of Marriage and Family Therapy, and Dr. Ben Hinnant, a professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. The project is designed to address sleep difficulties faced by children and parents from low-income families, emphasizing the crucial role of sleep in overall health.
Factors contributing to inadequate sleep include poor sleep hygiene practices and environmental issues, such as noise disruption. The research aims to enhance sleep hygiene practices and improve sleeping conditions to positively impact sleep health in these families.
Earlier this year, Gillis expressed enthusiasm about pursuing future grant opportunities as sleep research expands at Auburn. The university's efforts in this field include the "Auburn Sleep Talks" initiative, which aims to broaden the outreach and collaboration in sleep research.
On October 5, Auburn Sleep will host Dr. Candice Alfano as part of this initiative, who will give a lecture and engage with undergraduate students. Alfano is a SUNY Empire Innovation Professor in Psychology and Director of the Sleep and Emotion Research in Children Lab at Stony Brook University. Her presentation will focus on an evidence-based intervention designed to help foster parents improve their foster children's sleep.