The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of the fundamentals of sleep and circadian rhythms, including their underlying neurobiological foundations, their development and functions across the lifespan, and their role in physical and mental health. The course will also give students knowledge on objective and subjective measures of sleep, as well as an overview of sleep disorders, symptoms, treatment and prevention.
Following completion of the course, students will be able to: describe the neurobiological basis and neurodevelopment of sleep and circadian rhythms, describe contemporary theories of the functions of sleep, describe applied methods in sleep and circadian rhythms research, understand and discuss the interplay between health, sleep, and circadian rhythms, understand and discuss the impact of sleep on cognition, emotion and behavior, explain and discuss the factors that influence sleep and circadian rhythms, describe sleep disorders, their causes, prevalence and diagnostic criteria, pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to treat sleep disorders, and prevention strategies for sleep disorders.