.jpg?sfvrsn=b7830fbb_0 "Stacey Simon")
Stacey Simon PhD, DBSM
(She/Her)
Associate Professor, Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine
- Pediatric Pulmonary General Operations (SOM)
Background
Stacey L. Simon, PhD, DBSM, studied psychology and music performance at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and received her master's and PhD in clinical and health psychology from the University of Florida. Her research in women’s health was inspired by the fact that females have historically been understudied in sleep research. Women have higher rates of insomnia than men while obstructive sleep apnea is less often diagnosed in females, perhaps due in part to poor recognition of their unique symptoms. These differences begin to emerge in adolescence, motivating Dr. Simon’s research with the intention to increase awareness around women’s sleep and promote good sleep health for women and girls.
Dr. Simon currently sees patients in the sleep clinic at Children’s Hospital Colorado where she serves as the associate director of Behavioral Sleep Medicine in the division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine. She sees children from infancy to young adulthood with behavioral sleep concerns, such as insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
Research + Funding
In 2014, Dr. Simon began her Ludeman Center-funded research project. Titled, “The Role of Circadian Factors & Sleep Disordered Breathing on Insulin Resistance in Girls with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome,” her study aimed to learn more about sleep health in adolescents with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and its association with cardiometabolic risk. They had the knowledge that adults with PCOS had higher rates of obstructive sleep apnea but other aspects of sleep health such as duration and timing of sleep had not been focused on with very little research done in adolescents with PCOS. The study found that adolescents with PCOS obtained insufficient sleep with later circadian timing compared to adolescents without PCOS. Plus, short sleep duration and late bedtimes were also associated with insulin resistance. Lastly, the study showed that adolescents with PCOS with poorer sleep health, including sleep-disordered breathing, had more symptoms of metabolic syndrome.
“The Ludeman Center has been integral to my career development. The seed grant and subsequent funding I’ve received from the center enabled me to launch my research program through training opportunities, advice from faculty and the peer support of other researchers,” she shares.
Transforming Women’s Health
Her current research is focused broadly on the mechanisms underlying the negative physical and mental health consequences of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment in adolescents. With a number of evidence-based behavioral interventions for sleep problems, Dr. Simon finds it very rewarding to see how the entire family benefits when children are sleeping well.
Key Publications
Simon SL, Behn CD, Cree-Green M, et al. Too Late and Not Enough: School Year Sleep Duration, Timing, and Circadian Misalignment Are Associated with Reduced Insulin Sensitivity in Adolescents with Overweight/Obesity. J Pediatr . 2019;205:257-264.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.10.027
Simon SL, McWhirter L, Diniz Behn C, et al. Morning Circadian Misalignment Is Associated With Insulin Resistance in Girls With Obesity and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab . 2019;104(8):3525-3534. doi:10.1210/jc.2018-02385
Simon S, Rahat H, Carreau AM, et al. Poor Sleep Is Related to Metabolic Syndrome Severity in Adolescents With PCOS and Obesity. J Clin Endocrinol Metab . 2020;105(4):e1827-e1834. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgz285
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