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SHEL LAB
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About the SHEL Lab

Welcome to the Sleep and Health in Everyday Life (SHEL) Laboratory in the Department of Psychology at UNT. The SHEL-Lab was founded in 2019 by principal investigator Dr. Danica Slavish.
​Sleep is critical for health and well-being, but 1 in 3 U.S. adults reports insufficient sleep on a regular basis. Insufficient sleep costs the U.S. economy over $411 billion per year. 

​However, even for the same individual, no two nights of sleep are the same. 

Sleep is a dynamic process that is strongly shaped by our daily experiences, such as how stressed we feel. 
​How do stressful experiences and sleep impact our health across time? 

And why are some people more likely to experience stress-related sleep disturbances than others? 

​
These are the primary research questions we investigate in our lab.
Here are some of the specific research questions we are pursuing:​​
​
  • Are irregular sleep patterns a unique risk factor for disease?
  • How do sleep disturbances impact PTSD onset and recovery?
  • How do daily stressful experiences impact that night's sleep? How does sleep impact our ability to cope with next-day stress?
  • How do these associations vary across different populations (e.g., nurses, military personnel, shift workers) and social contexts?
Methods
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To examine these questions, we assess people in their everyday environments, using electronic surveys and unobtrusive wearable devices (e.g., Fitbit, actigraphy, EEG).
​The goal of our research is to identify strategies to help people cope with stress and improve their sleep, in order to promote better overall health and well-being.  

We also believe in open science, and try to make our data and code available whenever possible. If you are interested in collaborating or using our data, please feel free to reach out!
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  • Home
  • About
  • People
  • Projects
  • Prospective Students
    • PhD Applicants
    • Undergraduate Research
  • Publications
    • Selected Posters
  • Sleep Resources
  • News