Keynote Speaker

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream: Impact of biological sex and estrogens on sleep

Men and women sleep differently, with women reporting poorer quality and more disrupted sleep across various stages of life. The reason for this sex difference in sleep is unknown; however, clinical and basic research studies strongly implicate a role for gonadal steroids. Work from our lab seeks to address the mechanism by which gonadal steroids modulate sleep in females. Using a rat model, we have found that sex differences in sleep may be due to activational effects of estradiol on sexually differentiated brain circuitry. Advancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying hormonal modulation of sleep is imperative for better treatment of sleep disruption in women.