The Science of Sleep: Melatonin to Neural Pathways

Russell Foster, Debra Skene and Stafford Lightman discuss the science of sleep. Why do we need sleep and what are the physiological processes driving our circadian rhythm? When is our circadian clock disrupted and how does this affect our health? Cognitive neuroscientist Vincent Walsh chairs the debate.

The science behind sleeplessness can help us understand our rhythms so we can live better and healthier lives. While hormones, such a melatonin, play a role in driving our circadian clock, the amount of sleep we get and our sleep cycles also affect our hormonal release patterns, with far-reaching implications on our health.
Cognitive neuroscientist Vincent Walsh chairs a discussion with a panel of experts who specialise in circadian rhythms. They explore how light detection plays a role in our sleep-wake cycles, how hormone release is regulated and the implications of changes to our circadian clock and sleeplessness over time.

This event was supported by British Psychological Society and Society for Endocrinology.

[Source: The Royal Institute YouTube link]