Sleep and Dreams During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Live From Technion Webinar

With Prof. Peretz Lavie and Dr. Qanta Ahmed

Having trouble sleeping? You’re not alone. As many as three-quarters of Americans are experiencing insomnia or nightmares because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a recent survey.

In our upcoming webinar, former Technion President Professor Peretz Lavie will talk about the correlation between stress and dreams, and how repetitive images of the crisis, amplified in the age of 24/7 visual media, are creeping into our nocturnal wanderings.

Dr. Qanta Ahmed will share her recent experiences treating critically ill COVID-19 patients with sleep disorders. She will also describe how fear of infection and economic hardship have led to a spike in insomnia and offer remedies for a good night’s sleep.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Professor Peretz Lavie served as president of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology from 2009 to 2019, helping to establish the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute in New York City and the Guangdong Technion Israel Institute of Technology in China. He created the Technion Sleep Medicine Center and authored several books on sleep disorders. Currently, he holds consultant positions to universities in South Korea, France, and Portugal.

Dr. Qanta Ahmed is a pulmonologist, critical care, and sleep disorders specialist at New York University Winthrop Hospital and an Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone Long Island School of Medicine. Her academic work ranges from sleep and pulmonary medicine, to mass gathering medicine and public health. She is a Visiting Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum, member of the Council of Foreign Relations and commentator for such media outlets as The Wall Street Journal, the BBC World Service, and Fox News.