Semester:
Spring
Offered:
2025
How does sleep affect your health, your safety, and our society?
Charles Czeisler and Frank A.J.L. Scheer
What is sleep? Why do we sleep? Why don't we sleep? How much sleep do you need? What are circadian rhythms? How do technology and culture impact sleep? This course will explore the role of sleep and circadian timing in maintaining health, improving performance and enhancing safety. We will evaluate the causes and consequences of the epidemic of sleep disorders and deficiency in our society, with particular attention to impacts on brain (learning and memory, mood and cognition) and body (appetite and metabolism, hormones and heart) functions. Personal and public policy approaches to issues such as drowsy students, drowsy drivers and drowsy doctors will be addressed.