A good night's sleep is a precious commodity, but we know hardly anything about how our own sleep patterns - whether good or bad - affect others sleeping under the same roof.
Alicia Allan, a PhD psychology researcher in QUT's CARRS-Q (Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland) is seeking participants to investigate the factors associated with good and bad sleep in older adults.
"A particular area of interest for the study is sleep in couples," Ms Allan said.
"Although many people sleep in the same house or same bed as another person, there isn't a lot of research investigating how sleep in one person might impact sleep in another.
"I'm interested in sleep in couples, both in people who have no sleep problems, as well as those who do experience difficulties with their sleep."
Ms Allan said she needs volunteer couples for the study who are both 65 years or older, and sleep in the same house.
"I need both people to participate in the research by wearing an actigraph on their wrist for two weeks, as well as filling out a sleep diary."
"Actigraphs are small devices that measure movement and light exposure across the day. They look and feel like a wristwatch."
"Participants will also fill out a survey on their sleep, general health and wellbeing and daily habits."
To participate in the study, contact Alicia Allan at alicia.allan@qut.edu.au or phone on 0447 325 479.
Media contact: Niki Widdowson, QUT media officer, 07 3138 2999 or n.widdowson@Qut.edu.au.
