‘Me time’ beats sleep
She and four of her colleagues at Central Queensland University this year published a meta-analysis of more than 2,000 academic papers on the subject in 38 publications.
He revealed that people often prioritize enough “me time” over enough sleep, whether that means watching another episode of Netflix or spending more time scrolling through social media.
“You’re kind of like, ‘I’ve been working all day, and I finally have this time to myself…and I have to keep this to myself,'” Dr. Vincent said. The Australian Financial Review.
She said her team will build on these findings to identify the most effective ways to ensure people get their “me time” without sacrificing sleep.
Previous research suggests millions of Australians could enjoy the fruits of their labor. Four in ten people report getting less than seven hours of sleep per night, which is below the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s recommendation of at least seven hours per night for most adults.
Dr Vincent said people who sleep less than five hours a night are four and a half times more likely to catch a cold than those who sleep more than seven hours. Meanwhile, one in three drivers will fall asleep at the wheel at least once in their lifetime, and it’s estimated that around a quarter of all motor vehicle crashes are fatigue-related. In 2017, Deloitte estimated that sleep deprivation in Australia cost the country $66.3 billion in fiscal year 2017.
Make science accessible
The real-world effects of sleep deprivation help explain why Dr. Vincent describes herself as a strong believer in making science accessible to everyone.
“The gap between science and research, and then translating it into practice, is vast – and effective science communication really bridges that gap,” she said.
Federal Science Minister Ed Husic will announce the list of “STEM superstars” on Friday. Peter Rae
She is one of 60 female, non-binary scientists chosen to take part in a program that aims to “break down gendered assumptions about who can work in science, technology, engineering and math”, by giving participants the skills and confidence to engage with the media more regularly.
The program is called Superstars of STEM and is run by Peak Body Science and Technology Australia, which represents over 105,000 scientists.
Federal Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic will unveil the full list of 60 ‘superstars’ who will join the scheme in 2023 and 2024 on Friday. He said they will help inspire the next generation of Australians to pursue a career. in science and technology.
“The need to boost diversity in our science, technology, engineering and math sector is urgent,” Husic said in a statement.
“There are huge skills shortages that can be solved if we put our collective mind and effort into it – which means we need to tap deep into our country’s expertise in every corner of the community.”
