Amy Bender, PhD

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Kinesiology

Research Expertise

sleep
circadian rhythms

About

Dr. Amy Bender is a highly experienced and educated researcher in the fields of sleep science and psychology. She holds a PhD in Experimental Psychology from Washington State University and received a Mitacs Postdoctoral Fellowship in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary. With over 20 years of experience in the sleep field, Dr. Bender has held various positions including Director of Clinical Sleep Science at Cerebra, Senior Research Scientist at Calgary Counselling Centre, and Clinical Program Director of Athlete Services at the Centre for Sleep and Human Performance. She has also worked as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary and has conducted research on sleep and performance at the Sleep and Performance Research Center at Washington State University. Dr. Bender is a respected expert in the field of sleep science, with a particular focus on the impact of sleep on athletic performance. She has published numerous research articles in peer-reviewed journals and has presented her work at national and international conferences. She is also a sought-after speaker and consultant, providing workshops and educational sessions on sleep health and performance optimization. In addition to her research and academic work, Dr. Bender is the founder and principal sleep strategist at Sleep In To Win, a company that provides sleep coaching and consulting services to individuals and organizations. Her clients include athletes and teams from the NBA, NHL, and NFL and multiple Canadian Olympic teams. She was also the Clinical and Science Director at Absolute Rest, a company dedicated to promoting healthy sleep habits and improving overall well-being for high performers and athletes. Overall, Dr. Amy Bender is a highly accomplished and respected researcher, educator, and consultant in the field of sleep science, with a strong passion for helping individuals and organizations optimize their sleep and improve their overall health and performance.

Publications

Sleep and the athlete: narrative review and 2021 expert consensus recommendations
British Journal of Sports Medicine
2020
The Clinical Validation of the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire: an Instrument to Identify Athletes that Need Further Sleep Assessment
Sports Medicine - Open
2018
Managing Travel Fatigue and Jet Lag in Athletes: A Review and Consensus Statement
Sports Medicine
2021
How to manage travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes? A systematic review of interventions
British Journal of Sports Medicine
2020
Systematic individual differences in sleep homeostatic and circadian rhythm contributions to neurobehavioral impairment during sleep deprivation
Accident Analysis & Prevention
2012
Sleep Quality and Chronotype Differences between Elite Athletes and Non-Athlete Controls
Clocks & Sleep
2018
Pyjamas, Polysomnography and Professional Athletes: The Role of Sleep Tracking Technology in Sport
Sports
2023
Sleep in elite multi-sport athletes: Implications for athlete health and wellbeing
Physical Therapy in Sport
2019
Differences in sleep patterns, sleepiness, and physical activity levels between young adults with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing controls
Developmental Neurorehabilitation
2018
Sleep, health, and well-being in elite athletes from different sports, before, during, and after international competition
The Physician and Sportsmedicine
2020
Mindfulness plus physical activity reduces emotion dysregulation and insomnia severity among people with major depression
Behavioral Sleep Medicine
2023
Waking Up to the Issue! Research Inattention and Sex-Related Differences Warrant More Sleep Studies in Female Athletes
Sports Medicine
2023
Associations of circadian change, travel distance, and their interaction with basketball performance: a retrospective analysis of 2014–2018 National Basketball Association data
Chronobiology International
2022
Assessment of sleep disturbances with the athlete sleep screening questionnaire in Chinese athletes
Sports Medicine and Health Science
2022
Associations between time zone changes, travel distance and performance: A retrospective analysis of 2013–2020 National Hockey League Data
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
2022
A practical guide to improve sleep and performance in athletes
International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching
2023
Combined mindfulness-based stress reduction and physical activity improved psychological factors and sleep quality in patients with MDD: A randomized controlled trial study
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing
2024
Comment on: “Does Elite Sport Degrade Sleep Quality? A Systematic Review”
Sports Medicine
2017
Sleep continuity is positively correlated with sleep duration in laboratory nighttime sleep recordings
PLOS ONE
2017
1086 Non-Linear Associations Between Depression and Sleep Duration in an International Sample of 16,997 Respondents
Sleep
2020
Snooze it or Lose it: Understanding Sleep Disturbance and Injuries in Soccer and Basketball Student-Athletes
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine
2024
0792 SLEEP OPTIMIZATION IMPROVES MOOD DIFFERENTLY BETWEEN CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAM CURLERS AND ROWERS
Sleep
2017
Sleep disturbance and daytime sleepiness in cigarette smokers attempting to quit without treatment
Sleep and Biological Rhythms
2019
Effects of sleep schedules on commercial motor vehicle driver performance: Executive summary
PsycEXTRA Dataset
2000
Uncovering Sleep Behaviour in Women’s Football: What Evidence Do We Have?
Sports Medicine
2025
Influence of circadian preference, sleep inertia and their interaction on marathon completion time: A retrospective, cross‐sectional investigation of a large mass‐participation city marathon
Journal of Sleep Research
2024
Basics of sleep problems and sleep disorders for athletes and sport professionals
Sleep and Sport
2024
The Clinical Success of 213 Self-Applied Type 2 Sleep Studies
Sleep Medicine
2022
Sleep interventions improve subjective sleep, mood, and race performance in Canadian national team speed skaters
Sleep Medicine
2017
Cross-Lagged Associations Among Sleep, Headache, and Pain in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An A-CAP Study
Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation
2025
The Effectiveness of a Sleep Optimization Program on Insomnia, Anxiety, Perceived Stress, and Emotion Dysregulation Among Football Players With Sleep Complaints
Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology
2025
Odds Ratio Product as a Biological Marker of Phenotypes of Insomnia
Journal of Sleep Research
2025
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Who Should Be Managing Athletes on Matters Related to Sleep?
Sports Medicine
2025
0583 Improvement in Sleep Depth on CPAP Is Related to Odds-Ratio-Product (ORP) Type and Apnea-Hypopnea-Index at Baseline
SLEEP
2024
Assessment Of Sleep Quality By The Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire In Chinese Collegiate Athletes
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
2022
A107. UPDATE ON PEDIATRIC SLEEP RESEARCH
Unknown Venue
2010
The Association Between Sleep and Emotional Functioning in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Scoping Review
Journal of Neurotrauma
2026
0427 Assessment of First-Night Effect in Patients with Insomnia Using the Odds-Ratio-Product (ORP)
SLEEP
2024
0430 Odds Ratio Product as a Biological Marker of Hyperarousal in Insomnia with Short Sleep Duration
SLEEP
2024
How Sensor Data Can Guide Sleep Behaviors in Athletes
Individualizing Training Procedures with Wearable Technology
2024
Screening for sleep disorders in athletes
Sleep and Sport
2024
Sleep Disturbance And Injuries In Collegiate Soccer And Basketball Players
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
2023
0390 Cracking the EEG Code on Insomnia: How Odds Ratio Product Architecture Relates to Number of Insomnia Symptoms
SLEEP
2023
0478 Pre-test probability of OSA based on subjective questionnaires can indicate who will benefit the most from a Type II study
SLEEP
2023
0419 Sensitivity of ORP to classify individuals with insomnia based on subjective complaints
SLEEP
2023
0195 The association of electronic device use before bedtime on objective sleep quality measured with Odds Ratio Product
SLEEP
2023
0534 How objective sleep quality with Odds Ratio Product differs by diagnosis of COMISA, OSA, and insomnia
SLEEP
2023
The Adherence Index: The combination of traditional PSG indices and Odds Ratio Product predict long-term adherence with Positive Airway Pressure therapy in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Sleep Medicine
2022
Night-to-Night Variability of Sleep Quality using Odds Ratio Product: An Assessment of 14-31 Nights of In-Home Polysomnography
Sleep Medicine
2022
0001 Associations Between Circadian Factors and Travel Distance with Performance: A retrospective analysis of 2014-2018 National Basketball Association Data
Sleep
2022
0439 A Polysomnographic Marker of Sleep Quality using Odds Ratio Product are Associated with Insomnia Symptoms in a Dose-Response Relationship
Sleep
2022
0354 The Feasibility of Research Using In-Home Polysomnography for 20 Nights Across 25 Days
Sleep
2022
0377 Success Rates of Self-Applied Type 2 Studies in 191 Participants
Sleep
2022
0731 What is HSAT Missing? A Comparison of Respiratory Events and OSA Diagnosis Across Type 2 and Type 3 Studies
Sleep
2022
761 Associations between Depression and Guidelines Met for Physical Activity and Sufficient Sleep in an International Sample
Sleep
2021
Practical tips to manage travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes
British Journal of Sports Medicine
2020
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Clocks & Sleep in 2020
Clocks & Sleep
2021
0131 Sleep Deprivation Alters Two Physiological Systems' Responses to Repeated Stressors Differentially
SLEEP
2023
139 Does Extraversion Predict Subjective Ratings of Sleepiness and Performance During Sleep Deprivation?
Sleep
2021
137 Recovery Dynamics in a Biomathematical Model of Fatigue
Sleep
2021
Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Dissociated Components of Executive Functioning
Sleep
2010
<p>Psychomotor Vigilance Impairment During Total Sleep Deprivation Is Exacerbated in Sleep-Onset Insomnia</p>
Nature and Science of Sleep
2019
Connecting the Dots: From Trait Vulnerability during Total Sleep Deprivation to Individual Differences in Cumulative Impairment during Sustained Sleep Restriction
Sleep
2012
Morningness–eveningness, sleep–wake variables and big five personality factors
Personality and Individual Differences
2008
Slow Wave Activity as Substrate of Homeostatic Regulation
Dynamic Structure of NREM Sleep
2012
Trait interindividual differences in the sleep physiology of healthy young adults
Journal of Sleep Research
2007
Sleep Well, Lead Well: How Better Sleep Can Improve Leadership, Boost Productivity, and Spark Innovation
Unknown Venue
2014
Sleep Health, Individual Characteristics, Lifestyle Factors, and Marathon Completion Time in Marathon Runners: A Retrospective Investigation of the 2016 London Marathon
Brain Sciences
2023
Sleep and Athletic Performance
Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine
2017
Post-Maxwell Electrodynamics 2020
Post-Maxwell Electrodynamics 2020
2020
Gatorade Sports Science Institute Proceedings
International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism
2001
Sleep Hygiene
When Children Don't Sleep Well: Therapist Guide
2008

Education

University of Calgary

Mitacs Postdoctoral Fellowship, Kinesiology / May, 2017

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Washington State University - Spokane

PhD, Experimental Psychology / May, 2015

Spokane, Washington, United States of America

Washington State University - Spokane

MS, Experimental Psychology / September, 2012

Spokane, Washington, United States of America

California State University San Bernardino

BA, Psychology / June, 2002

San Bernardino, California, United States of America

University of Calgary

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Kinesiology / 2017

Washington State University

PhD, Experimental Psychology / 2015

Washington State University

MS, Experimental Psychology / 2015

California State University San Bernardino

BA, Psychology / 2006

Experience

Cerebra

Director Clinical Sleep Science / February, 2021Present

University of Calgary

Adjunct Assistant Professor / September, 2017Present

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Kinesiology / June, 2017December

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Mitacs Postdoctoral Research Fellow / June, 2015May, 2017

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Calgary Counselling Centre

Senior Research Scientist / August, 2018February, 2021

Senior Research Scientist / August, 2018February, 2021

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Centre for Sleep and Human Performance

Clinical Program Director - Athlete Services / June, 2017July, 2018

Alkermes

Medical Science Liaison II / July, 2024December

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Sleep In To Win

Founder/Principal Sleep Strategist / June, 2015December

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Absolute Rest

Clinical and Science Director / February, 2021May, 2023

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Cerebra Medical Ltd

Director of Clinical Sleep Science / February, 2021May, 2023

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Centre for Sleep and Human Performance (CSHP)

Clinical Program Director of Athlete Services / June, 2015July, 2018

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Sleep and Performance Research Center (SPRC) at Washington State University

Polysomnographic (PSG) Technologist / Graduate Research Assistant / August, 2006May, 2015

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Aspen Sleep Centers

Polysomnographic (PSG) Technologist / August, 2006June, 22008

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Holy Family Hospital Sleep Center

Polysomnographic (PSG) Technologist / September, 2008November, 2011

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