Sleep is one of the most talked-about (and misunderstood) parts of our health. With so much advice and so many myths floating around, it’s hard to know what to believe. This course breaks down the science of sleep in a clear, practical way—so you can feel more confident navigating your own sleep patterns. We’ll explore questions like: Is it normal to wake up during the night? How much sleep do you really need? What’s REM sleep, and why does it matter? You’ll also learn when poor sleep might signal a bigger issue, how to know if a sleep study is necessary, and whether being a night owl is actually a bad thing.

1. Learners will be able to describe components of normal healthy sleep including: how much time awake in the night is normal? How long should a person sleep? What is REM vs NREM sleep?

2. Learners will be able to distinguish healthy sleep from a sleep disorder. When is an overnight sleep study indicated? Is being a morning person or a night owl a problem?

3. Learners will gain familiarity with treatment options for sleep disorders.

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).

• Carney, C. E., & Danforth, M. (2022). Behavioral treatment I: therapeutic

• Carskadon, M. A., & Dement, W. C. (2005). Normal human sleep: an overview. Principles and practice of sleep medicine, 4(1), 13-23.

• Greenberg, H., Lakticova, V., & Scharf, S. M. (2017). Obstructive sleep apnea: clinical features, evaluation, and principles of management. In Principles and practice of sleep medicine (pp. 1110-1124). Elsevier.

• Roenneberg, T. (2012). What is chronotype?. Sleep and biological rhythms, 10, 75-76.

• Spielman, A. J., Caruso, L. S., & Glovinsky, P. B. (1987). A behavioral perspective on insomnia treatment. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 10(4), 541-553.