Handbook

Sleep and circadian rhythms are fundamental for the maintenance of general health, performance and mood. This unit will give students an understanding of the neurobiological processes that control sleep and circadian rhythms, as well as the consequences of their dysfunction.

The unit will be comprised of lectures and in-person workshops. Each student will have the opportunity to attend 5 workshops over the course of the unit, with the final workshop focused on helping students complete their final assessment (attendance optional for the final workshop). The lectures will focus on both the functions of sleep and circadian rhythms and their neurobiological underpinnings in both health and disease states.

Topics that will be covered will include: sleep function and neurobiology, circadian function and neurobiology, impact of sleep and circadian dysfunction on mood and cognition, sleep and metabolism, sleep disorders, and sleep and circadian interventions for optimising health and safety.

At the end of the unit, students are expected to have an understanding of core concepts in the fields of sleep and circadian rhythms. This unit will provide students with a solid foundation in sleep and circadian rhythms research, a growing strength in Australia.