Behavioral Strategies to Manage Your Sleep Health in a COVID-19 and Racism Pandemic

Join special trainings offered by CSSW faculty as part of their COVID-19 ACTION initiative; open to the School of Social Work’s community.

CEs available. See registration page for more information

About the Approach

Psychoeducational models draw on an evidence-based approach and can be adapted for multiple settings and populations. The approach can be tailored to fit specific circumstances and focuses on a learning exchange between facilitator and participant. It is strengths-based and attends to coping, stress management, increased insight, grief and loss, social support, and personal and community advocacy, while maintaining a social justice and anti-oppressive perspective.

About the Session

Led by Carmela Alcántara (bio) and Natasha Williams (bio), this session will provide a brief overview of sleep, and its role as an important determinant of health and health disparities, and the role of acute and chronic stress in sleep health. We will discuss how the confluence of the COVID-19 pandemic (coupled with the resulting financial crisis) and the racism pandemic in the United States affect sleep health. We will also discuss the differential impacts of these pandemics on the sleep health of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, as well as community strengths and resilience factors. We will conclude with a discussion of various evidence-based behavioral strategies to improve sleep health.