Unlikely Collaborators Hosts Dr. Jade Wu: Why Sleep Changes How Everything Feels
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sleep does more than determine how tired we feel. It shapes how we interpret stress, how quickly we react, how creatively we think, and how connected or isolated we feel in our relationships.
And yet, for many high-achieving adults, sleep has become another problem to solve or another metric to optimize, control, or "hack."
On Tuesday, February 24 at 7:00 p.m. PT, Unlikely Collaborators will host board-certified sleep psychologist and author Dr. Jade Wu for a Spark Salon titled::
Reclaiming Rest: A New, Resilient Approach to Sleep
In this timely conversation, Dr. Wu offers a refreshing alternative to rigid rules and quick fixes, inviting audiences to view sleep not as an engineering problem to solve, but as a relationship to nurture.
Drawing from neuroscience, clinical research, and her work with high-performing professionals, Dr. Wu explores how working with, rather than against, our individual sleep physiology can lead to steadier moods, clearer thinking, and more sustainable resilience. The talk provides practical, evidence-based tools for building a healthier and more compassionate relationship with rest.
The evening will take place in person at Unlikely Collaborators' Santa Monica headquarters and will also be livestreamed online. In-person attendees will receive a complimentary copy of Dr. Wu's book Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications.
Event Schedule
6:00 p.m. — Doors open and reception
7:00 p.m. — Program begins promptly
8:00 p.m. — Book signing and reception
Cost: Free (registration required)
About Dr. Jade Wu
Jade Wu is a board-certified sleep psychologist, author, and speaker on a mission to help high performing professionals sleep smarter to build resilience and boost wellbeing. She earned her PhD at Boston University and completed her behavioral medicine residency and fellowship at Duke University School of Medicine.
Dr. Wu is a sought-after keynote speaker and workshop leader, delivering talks to teams of all sizes across the U.S., including organizations such as Harley-Davidson, The New York Times, and TripAdvisor. With a specialization in working with busy professionals, Jade Wu brings practical, science-based strategies that challenge audiences with new ways of understanding their sleep and performance. Her compassionate and humorous style keep audiences energized long after events.
Beyond the stage, Dr. Wu is the author of Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications, and founder of Thrive Clinic, where she provides evidence-based, collaborative care. A trusted media expert, she has been featured on NPR, ABC News, and in major print outlets.
At home, she enjoys napping and playing with her kids—in that order.
About Spark Salons
Spark Salons are a signature program of Unlikely Collaborators, the nonprofit founded by Elizabeth R. Koch. These gatherings bring together grantees, researchers, artists, and collaborators for conversations that challenge perspectives and deepen connections. Past Spark Salon speakers have included illusionist Harris III, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, nutrition therapist Kim Shapira, MS, RD, mythologist John Bucher, Harvard Business School professor and author Michael Norton, PhD, visionary violinist Vijay Gupta, chef and entrepreneur Ellen Bennett, artist Candy Chang, digital workplace expert and author Alexandra Samuel, PhD, grief experts Brennan Wood and Dr. Donna L. Schuurman, and neuroscientist, best-selling author Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, and world-renowned neuroscientist, author, NYU Dean Wendy Suzuki, PhD., and futures designer and author Nick Foster, RDI.
Watch the Spark Salons Trailer
About Unlikely Collaborators
Unlikely Collaborators is a nonprofit dedicated to helping people see themselves and the world more clearly. Founded by Elizabeth R. Koch, the organization is built on the Perception Box™ framework which is the understanding that our experiences, beliefs, fears, and physiology shape the lens through which we interpret reality. By becoming aware of that lens, we create more space for reflection, flexibility, and meaningful change.
SOURCE Unlikely Collaborators
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