Sleep, Circadian Rhythms and Society

The work culture of long hours, shift work, long-haul flights and the extensive use of social media all contribute to sleep and circadian rhythm disruption (SCRD) across most sectors of society. It has been estimated that the adult population sleeps on average 1-2 hours less every night compared to the 1960s, and for teenagers, sleep loss may be much greater. The impact of SCRD on physical and mental well-being is emerging, but demonstrating cause and effect, and understanding precisely how SCRD alters our physiology remains poorly understood. By bringing together expertise from across multiple health sectors we are using the best available approaches to define these links, and then apply this information for the development of evidence-based counter measures for the reduction of symptoms and the improvement of health associated with SCRD.