UROP Leader Information Submission: Submission #274

What is your current research focus? Currently, I am studying the effect of exercise on sleep quality in post-menopausal, pre-diabetic women. Menopause is a large and usually difficult transition in women's lives that is normally accompanied by many negative symptoms. One of the most commonly reported symptoms of menopause is sleep disturbances. Therefore, this study aims to determine if exercise can be used as a non-pharmacological treatment for sleep disturbances in post-menopausal women. To do this, the women in our study were split into either resistance or endurance training, and they wore an Oura ring throughout the study to monitor their objective sleep quality. They also completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to measure their subjective sleep quality. Our study is still ongoing, but we have seen a trend towards increased subjective sleep quality in these women after their 6-week exercise program.