Sleep, Health, & Wellness Lab at MUN

Since 2003 Movember has been trying to raise awareness so men can live happier, healthier, and longer lives. To learn more about testicular, prostate cancer, and mental health please visit: bit.ly/SHWMo Movember Canada

Growing evidenceshows that sleep deprivation impairs a person’s ability to fight off a disease once they are infected. Consider reading this article from freelance journalist Emily Sohn on why good sleep is vital during COVID-19 and Cold/Flu Season. bit.ly/CVDSleep

November 16-22 is Digital Health Week. To better understand digital health tools, we are studying if online CBT-I can help sleep and thinking in people with cancer. To learn more about the ACTION study please visit: bit.ly/ACTIONstu... Please share! #ThinkDigitalHealth

Short sleep duration (generally considered to be <6 hours) has been associated with increased overall body mass, diabetes and hypertension. There is also some evidence to suggest similar associations with people who sleep more than 9-10 hours.

People with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities often experience a disproportionate burden from cancer. That is why YACC is proud to offer a new o...nline virtual chat group, Out with Cancer, for 2SLGBTQIA+ people within the YACC community. Out with Cancer provides a safe space for 2SLGBTQIA+ people to connect with others diagnosed with cancer in a private, affirming, empowering online space. Register here for TONIGHT'S chat: https://www.youngadultcancer.ca/program/yacc-web-chats/

People with lung cancer often report problems with sleep and quality of life. If you or a friend has lung cancer, consider the ACTION study. We offer online CBT-I and want to know if treatment can help with sleep and thinking. Read more at: bit.ly/ACTIONstu #CBTi #LCAM

CURRENTLY SEEKING: a student intern (preferably in their Masters) in something like Psychology, Kinesiology, or Nutrition for the winter 2021 semester! This st...udent should be working with or interested in working with cancer patients or survivors. The position will be part-time, paid, and can be done remotely. The deadline to apply is November 22. If you're interested, find more information here: https://static1.squarespace.com//Knight%27s+Cabin+-+Progra

COVID-19 has changed many things including the psychosocial care of people with cancer. Moving psychosocial support to remote delivery, and in some cases suspending it all together, has proven to be difficult to staff to deliver and has resulted in the needs of patients affected by cancer not being met. Read more below bit.ly/2D8Pzrt

Meet the 2020-2021 Sleep Lab Members! (Missing: Nicole Rodriguez, Breanna Lane, Meghan Waterman)

Sleep disturbance prior to treatment has been associated with greater pain after treatment from radiation for breast cancer. Findings of a new study in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management from a great group of researchers including SHWL’s own Dr. Sheila Garland bit.ly/3iuQf9U

Wonderful live discussion, happening now!

Are you up to the challenge?

Meet Ryan for Team Member Tuesday. Ryan is a PsyD student in the SHW Lab who is interested in physical activity and circadian rhythms for women with breast cancer.

Some researchers have been reporting that sleep might be worse during the COVID-19 quarantine, even with more time to sleep. This letter by our friend and colleague Eric Zhou argues this might not be universally the case for YAs with cancer who report lower insomnia severity than their peers did last year. bit.ly/3k4VVsy

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Not getting good sleep may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer. Poor sleep can also impair cognition and the ability to exercise for those with prostate cancer (bit.ly/3gVZGxU). Check out resources from the Canadian Cancer Society for more on prostate cancer. bit.ly/31fZ4i3

Breanna is a PsyD student and long-time SHW Lab member. She helped develop our research on young adult cancer survivors with the YAC Prime study. Her research established that YAs with cancer report significant levels of fears of cancer recurrence and have more distress than their non-cancer peers. She recently completed her internship and will soon be defending her dissertation. Good luck, Breanna!

Fertility risk varies widely with cancer. Many YAs with cancer know the risk, but only half talk about it with their doctor. Dr. Lauren Daniel and the YACPrime team report that knowing fertility risk and making informed treatment decision may contribute to positive psychological growth for YAs after cancer. Check out these new findings below: bit.ly/319uBka

(Virtual) Classes are soon going to start! For all our educators and student friends, remember to take care of yourselves and someone else if you can. Ask for help if you need it. Check out MUNUp at bit.ly/2ZYVR4C

If you are feeling anxious right now, having trouble sleeping, or just need help and don’t know where to start, it’s totally normal. Check out this list of apps which might help you take the first step. bit.ly/3iJzkRE

Team Member Tuesday! Nicole is a Psy.D student and longtime SHW Lab member currently studying the relationship between sleep and cognitive impairments in breast cancer patients. We wish her well as she completes her residency in Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Manitoba.

Sleep is essential for cancer survivors. Join us on August 12 to learn more! https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/114604683694 Long term sleep disruptions may raise th...e risk of some cancers. But sleep and cancer are intertwined in other ways too. Getting a good night’s sleep is difficult during cancer treatment and can be a lifelong challenge for survivors. - Lack of Sleep and Cancer: Is There a Connection? (Johns Hopkins Medicine) See more

Here is an exciting new paper from lab members Nyissa Walsh, Nicole Rodriguez, previous lab members, Drs. Lily Repa and Ellie King, and director Dr. Sheila Garland. They report how nighttime device use may be impacting insomnia in university students @MemorialUniversity bit.ly/3jzyuY4

Looking at things glass-half-full might help you sleep. In an online survey, Austrian researchers found that optimistic individuals engaged in better health behaviors which resulted in fewer sleep disorders and less insomnia. bit.ly/3fmJHJ6

On August 12, Dr. Garland will be giving a webinar for Knights Cabin, a charitable organization that provides information and explores practical skills to assist survivors in living well beyond cancer. She will explain the ins and outs of sleep, how things can go wrong, and how to get your sleep back on track. Her presentation will provide concrete strategies for managing cancer-related insomnia and promoting healthy sleep. https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sleep-as-a-foundation-for-healt *This webinar is designed for people living with cancer and their supporters, but is open to anyone who may benefit *If you cannot attend live for any reason, we will be recording and emailing this webinar to registered participants after the event.

We deliver CBT-I virtually for our trial; the ACTION study (bit.ly/3fv2DFz). Researchers from the University of Michigan recently published in SLEEP that remotely delivered CBT-I is as good as face-to-face delivery. See more here bit.ly/3he5ljn

Check out this Team Member Tuesday! Our fantastic research coordinator, Kathryn, wears many hats on an average day. She oversees the ACTION study, our recent study on male breast cancer, and the many important collaborations in the SHW Lab. Always busy, we thank you for your hard work!

Does your child always need you to fall asleep? They may have developed an inappropriate sleep onset association (i.e., Sleep Crutch). For children (and adolescents), setting healthy limits and a routine can help them get the sleep they need! bit.ly/321QkfV

Awesome Publication Alert Lab member Lauren Squires recently published an article with Dr. Nick Harris in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addictions, which examines the role of emotional dysregulation in the relationship between psychological distress and problematic smartphone use. Check out this intriguing read below:... bit.ly/3fd7f32 See more

Another great Team Member Tuesday! Meet Josh, a fantastic SHW lab honours student, our graphic designer, social media, tech person, and more. He received a SURA from @MUN_Science last year and now a studentship from @BHCRI for breast cancer research! Lots of exciting research and ideas to come!

LGBTQ+ members simultaneously identify with other social groups which intersect to form many layers of oppression. As an even bigger barrier to care and health, an intersectional approach including shared decision making can help take down those barriers. bit.ly/3e2EEwY

Cancer care is still highly gendered and heteronormative. LGBTQ+ patients deserve more. Dr. Charles Kamen from the University of Rochester published some tips for care providers to provide a higher level of care in Treat Us With Dignity. We compiled some of those tips below. bit.ly/3gK2pKO

Psychological distress may be higher for LGBTQ+ cancer survivors because of discrimination concerns and a lack of appropriate support. Cancer care is still highly gendered and comes with difficult identity transitions. Research is still new on this topic. How can we do better?

Meet Lauren for this Pride edition Team Member Tuesday! Lauren is a trailblazer in psychosocial oncology, conducting one of the first lit reviews on the psychological needs of trans and gender-nonconforming cancer patients. We have much to learn about this area of research and care!

Smoking is Bad, right? Well, the LGBTQ+ population is disproportionately affected by tobacco. Smoking may be *temporarily* calming, but it may heighten anxiety, prevent you from sleeping, and more. There is a lack of support understanding the LGBTQ+ population.

People in the LGBTQ+ community face many unique issues including higher bullying and mental health issues. This places them at risk of insomnia and sleep deprivation which can lead to diabetes, heart, and weight problems, and even cancer! bit.ly/2YB97LY

In honour of the virtual St. John's Pride festival from July 10 19, we will be highlighting research on LGBTQ+ health and wellness. Keep and eye out for our upcoming posts!

Happy Wellness Wednesday! Researchers are (somewhat) notorious for working long-hours hours doing multiple tasks. PRO TIP 1: Try a got-done list. Track the small victories to see progress instead of deficits.... 2: Its okay to step back to see the big picture. Try some fun activities to revitalize!

You NEED to read this report from Welcome Trust in the UK (bit.ly/30FubDB). The report shows some startling findings about researchers, including potentially having worse wellbeing, mental health, and more presenteeism than you think! A shift in research culture may be unsustainable with little supports in place. This may be influencing behaviours making many workplaces hostile and toxic. Have you experienced this?

For this Team Member Tuesday meet Meghan, one of the amazing honours students in the SHW lab! She brings TONS of experience and new ideas to the team, pushing our research into new and uncharted areas. Keep an eye out for her upcoming survey on orthorexia in YAs with cancer!

We are still uncovering new evidence from the #YACPrime study with Young Adult Cancer Canada. Flashback to 2019, when members of the research team found that young adults who survived cancer had worse quality of life and mental health than the average Canadian population. The authors argue supports need to be stepped up for this population. This seems relevant now more than ever. Read more here: bit.ly/2TkRazf

Announcing a different kind of Atlantic bubble: Research by Dr. Sheila Garland expands to help people with cancer sleep better and think more clearly in all four Atlantic Provinces https://www.halifaxexaminer.ca//announcing-a-different-ki/

Sleep is vital for health, especially in children. Research strongly indicates that later school start times create happier kids and can boost academic performance. Changing start times may be the best solution, but it is often difficult to implement. A novel way to promote proper sleep for this age group is school-based sleep education. The limited research on sleep education has been promising, albeit mixed and inconclusive. Clearly, more work is needed. Do you think that researchers should pursue work in this area?