SLEEP HEALTH AND BEHAVIOUR (oral session): Sleep and health, and sleep and knowledge – what can we learn?

Tracks
Track 3
Thursday, November 12, 2026
1:45 PM - 3:15 PM

Speaker

Ms Rajani Khanal
PhD Candidate
Flinders University

Bidirectional longitudinal associations between obstructive sleep apnoea and body composition

1:50 PM - 2:02 PM

Biography

Rajani Khanal is a PhD candidate at Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University. Her research focuses on the intersection of sleep health and age-related physical function decline, particularly investigating the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on sarcopenia, falls, and body composition in older adults.Her broader goal is to advance translational sleep research that bridges clinical operations with epidemiological evidence to inform early intervention strategies for preserving physical function and independence in older adults. She is particularly passionate about using population-based data and digital health tools to understand the long-term consequences of untreated sleep disorders.
Assoc Prof Grace Vincent
Associate Professor
CQ University

Co-designed digital resources improve sleep outcomes in young shiftworkers

2:38 PM - 2:50 PM

Biography

A/Prof Grace Vincent is an Associate Professor and ARC DECRA Fellow at CQUniversity’s Appleton Institute. Her research focuses on sleep, shiftwork, fatigue, physical activity, and worker health, with a strong emphasis on translating evidence into practical resources for industry and the community. She has published more than 130 peer-reviewed papers and secured over $4 million in research funding. Grace leads and contributes to national and international projects aimed at improving sleep, health, safety, and performance in people working non-standard hours.
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Ms Prudence Wall
Psychologist/Research Associate
Flinders University

Reassurance seeking predicts delayed help-seeking after sleep disorder diagnosis

2:02 PM - 2:14 PM

Biography

Prue is a Psychologist (Clinical Registrar) and Research Associate at the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health (AISH) Clinic within the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), as well as a Research Assistant at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Prue works clinically treating patients with sleep disorders, primarily insomnia and circadian rhythm disorders, at AISH. She works across two research projects at FHMRI, one investigating the sleep health of rural and remote Australians and another investigating the impact of antidepressants on light sensitivity in depression treatment. Finally, she works in wellbeing research at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Ms Sheethal Kalmadka
Phd Student
University of Queensland

From Training to Practice: Persistent Sleep Knowledge Gaps in Healthcare

2:14 PM - 2:26 PM

Biography

Sheethal Kalmadka is a Public Health Professional and PhD Candidate at the University of Queensland. Her research focuses on strengthening workforce training and support for sleep health care delivery in primary care and examines current practices, knowledge gaps, and barriers to the identification, diagnosis, and management of sleep disorders, intending to inform strategies that improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. She holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from India and a Master of Public Health from Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Her interests include sleep health, primary care, health workforce development, and healthcare service improvement.
Dr Jenny Haycock
Research Associate
Flinders University

Sleep Spotlight: pilot of a sleep health decision aid tool

2:26 PM - 2:38 PM

Biography

Dr Jenny Haycock is a Research Associate in Sleep Health at the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University. Her primary interests include access to effective behavioural treatment for insomnia and the management of sleep disorders in primary care. Jenny has expertise in qualitative research and implementation science, including process evaluation, consumer co-design, and research translation.
Ms Monique Rose
Phd Candidate | Midwife
Curtin University & Women and Newborn Health Service

Objective and self-reported sleep in pregnancy: A scoping review

2:50 PM - 3:02 PM

Biography

Monique is a midwife and registered nurse working at the Women and Newborn Health Service in Western Australia and undertaking her PhD studies on women's sleep in pregnancy. Her work is part of the MRFF funded MyTIME clinical trial, investigating melatonin's effect on pregnancy outcomes at term.
Ms Shiyun Zhang
Phd Student
Monash University

Longitudinal investigation of sleep and menstrual symptoms in female athletes

3:02 PM - 3:14 PM

Biography

Ms Shiyun (Cathy) Zhang is a PhD candidate in the combined PhD/Clinical Psychology program and a teaching associate at Monash University. Based within the Facer-Childs ‘Sleep and Performance’ Research lab, her research explores the relationships between menstrual health, sleep, recovery and psychological wellbeing in female athletes. Cathy's work focuses on understanding both the lived experiences and physiological impacts of menstrual health in sport. She is passionate about evidence-based practice and translating research findings into meaningful applications for female athlete wellbeing.
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Dr Aurore Perrault
Postdoctoral Researcher
Woolcock Institute Of Medical Research

Co-Chair

Biography

Linda Schachter

Co-Chair

Biography

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