Professor Emeritus, Anesthesiology, Professor Emeritus, Pharmacology, Professor of Psychiatry
Sleep: Neurobiology, Medicine, and Society
What You'll Learn
- Understand how sleep and the brain are connected.
- Become familiar with major sleep disorders that impact daily life.
- Explore the long-term negative health consequences of inadequate sleep.
12 Modules
24 Hours
2 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Sleep: Neurobiology, Medicine, and Society
The objective of this course is to give students the most up-to-date information on the biological, personal, and societal relevance of sleep. Personal relevance is emphasized by the fact that the single best predictor of daytime performance is the quality of the previous night's sleep. The brain actively generates sleep, and the first section of the course is an overview of the neurobiological basis of sleep control. The course provides cellular-level understanding of how sleep deprivation, jet lag, and substances such as alcohol, ,caffeine, and nicotine alter sleep and wakefulness. The second section of the course covers sleep-dependent changes in physiology and sleep disorders medicine. Particular emphasis will be placed on disorders of excessive sleepiness, insomnia, and sleep-dependent changes in autonomic control. Chronic sleep deprivation impairs immune function and may promote obesity. Deaths due to all causes are most frequent between 4:00 and 6:00 a.m., and this second section of the class highlights the relevance of sleep for preventive medicine. The societal relevance of sleep will be considered in the final section of the class. In an increasingly complex and technologically oriented society, operator-error by one individual can have a disastrous negative impact on public health and safety. Fatigue-related performance decrements are known to have contributed as causal factors to nuclear power plant failures, transportation disasters, and medical errors.
Skills You'll Gain
- Public Health
- Sleep Medicine
- Sleep Studies
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Sleep: Neurobiology, Medicine, and Society, an online course exploring sleep as a fundamental biological rhythm that shapes human health, behavior, and performance. You will examine the brain mechanisms that regulate sleep and wakefulness, along with the physiological and societal consequences of sleep disruption. Designed to be accessible to learners new to neuroscience, the course connects science, health, and everyday experience.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Neurobiology Section: Course Introduction & Neurobiology of Sleep and Wakefulness (Part One - Standard Track & Honors Track)
- Reading: Getting Started
- Reading: Syllabus
- Video: 01.01 - Course Overview - Ralph Lydic, Ph.D.
- Reading: Help Us Learn More About You!
- Reading: Lesson 2 Orientation
- Video: 02.01 - Learning Points
- Video: 02.02 - Defining Behavioral States
- Video: 02.03 - Historical Overview: Brainstem & Forebrain
- Video: 02.04 - Wake & REM: Monoamines
- Video: 02.05 - Wake & REM: Acetylcholine
- Graded: Did you Complete Lesson 2?
Module 2: Neurobiology Section: Neurobiology of Sleep and Wakefulness (Part Two - Honors Track)
- Video: 02.06 - Wake & REM: GABA
- Video: 02.07: Wake & REM: Orexin
- Video: 02.08: NREM: GABA
- Video: 02.09: NREM: Adenosine
- Video: 02:10: Summary
- Graded: Did you complete Lesson 03?
- Graded: Unit 02 Honors Track Quiz - Neurobiology of Sleep and Wakefulness
Module 3: Neurobiology: Mathematical Modeling of Sleep-Wake Regulation (Honors Track)
- Reading: Unit 03 Orientation
- Video: 03.01 - Introduction to Mathematical Modeling of Sleep-Wake Regulation
- Video: 03.02 - Two Process Model
- Video: 03.03 - Sleep-Wake Flip-Flop Model
- Video: 03.04 - Reciprocal Interaction Model
- Video: 03.05 - REM Sleep Flip-Flop Model
- Video: 03.06 - Features for an Ideal Model of Sleep-Wake Regulation
- Video: 03.07 - Introduction to Mechanistic Models of Sleep-Wake Regulation
- Video: 03.08 - Diniz Benh & Booth Model - Part I
- Video: 03.09 - Diniz Benh & Booth Model - Part II
- Video: 03.10 - Conclusion
- Graded: Did you Complete Lesson 5?
- Graded: Unit 03 Quiz - Mathematical Modeling of Sleep-Wake Regulation
Module 4: Neurobiology: Molecular Biology and Genetics of Sleep (Honors Track)
- Video: 04.01 - Expression of mRNA Varies During Sleep and Wakefulness
- Video: 04.02 - Wake Genes that are Associated with Energy Metabolism
- Video: 04.03 - Synaptic Plasticity is Genetically Modulated
- Video: 04.04 - Brain Glial Cells Influence States of Sleep and Wakefulness
- Video: 04.05 - Genetic Modulation of Human Sleep Phenotypes
- Video: 04.06 - Conclusion
- Graded: Did you complete Lesson 7?
- Graded: Unit 04 Quiz - Molecular Biology and Genetics of Sleep
Module 5: Medicine: Overview of Sleep Medicine - Ronald Chervin, M.D. (Standard Track)
- Reading: Unit 05 Orientation
- Video: 05.01 - Introduction - Overview of Sleep Medicine
- Video: 05.02 - Clinical Approach to Sleep Disorders
- Video: 05.03 - Polysomnography
- Video: 05.04 - Classification of Sleep Disorders
- Video: 05.05 - Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Video: 05.06 - Testing for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Video: 05.07 - Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Concluding Thoughts
- Graded: Unit 05 Quiz- Overview of Sleep Medicine
Module 6: Medicine: Disordered Sleep and Breathing Alters Cardiovascular Health (Standard Track)
- Reading: Unit 06 Orientation
- Video: 06.01- Impact of Disordered Sleep and Breathing on Cardiovascular Health (Part 1)
- Video: 06.02 - Impact of Disordered Sleep and Breathing on Cardiovascular Health (Part 2)
- Video: 06.03 - Outcomes of CPAP Therapy and Conclusions
- Graded: Unit 06 Quiz - Disordered Sleep and Breathing Alters Cardiovascular Health
Module 7: Medicine: Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders (Standard Track)
- Reading: Unit 07 Orientation
- Video: 07.01 - Introduction - Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders
- Video: 07.02 - What Goes to Sleep?
- Video: 07.03 - Sleep Alterations Associated with Specific Psychiatric Disorders
- Video: 07.04 - Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia
- Video: 07.05 - Anxiety Disorders
- Video: 07.06 - Substance Use Disorders
- Video: 07.07 - Insomnia
- Video: 07.08 - Interventions for Insomnia
- Graded: Unit 07 Quiz - Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders
Module 8: Medicine: Insomnia: Causes and Consequences (Standard Track)
- Reading: Unit 08 Orientation
- Video: 08.01 - Insomnia: Causes and Consequences
- Video: 08.02 - Consequences of Insomnia
- Video: 08.03 - Causes of Insomnia
- Video: 08.04 - Insomnia and its Relation to Hyperarousal
- Graded: Unit 08 Quiz - Insomnia: Causes and Consequences
Module 9: Medicine: Treatments for Insomnia (Standard Track)
- Video: 09.01 - Behavioral and Pharmacological Treatments for Insomnia
- Video: 09.02 - Treatment Options for Insomnia
- Video: 09.03 - BzRA Hypnotics
- Video: 09.04 - Abuse Liability of Hypnotic Agents
- Video: 09.05 - Pharmacological Treatments for Insomnia
- Video: 09.06 - Nonpharmacological Treatments for Insomnia
- Video: 09.07 - How CBT-I Works
- Video: 09.08 - Pharmacological Treatments for Insomnia Part III
- Video: 09.09 - Summary
- Graded: Unit 09 Quiz - Treatments for Insomnia
Module 10: Medicine: Sleep and Anesthesia (Standard Track)
- Video: Unit 10 Overview
- Video: 10.01 - Sleep and Anesthesia: Shared Phenotype and Shared Mechanism?
- Video: 10.02 - Sleep and Anesthesia: Shared Function?
- Video: 10.03 - Summary
- Graded: Unit 10 Quiz - Sleep and Anesthesia
Module 11: Society: Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Health (Standard Track)
- Reading: Unit 11 Orientation
- Video: 11.01 - Why Sleep is Important
- Video: 11.02 - Sleep Occurs as a Circadian Rhythm
- Video: 11.03 - Changes in Sleep Rhythms Across the Lifespan (Part 1)
- Video: 11.04 - Changes in Sleep Rhythms Across the Lifespan (Part 2)
- Video: 11.05 - Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Hygiene
- Graded: Unit 11 Quiz - Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Health
Module 12: Society: Daytime Sleepiness and Sleep Need - Thomas Roth, PhD (Standard Track)
- Reading: Unit 12 Orientation
- Video: 12.01 - Brain Basis of Daytime Sleepiness
- Video: 12.02 - How is Sleepiness Measured?
- Video: 12.03 - How Many People in our Society are Sleepy?
- Video: 12.04 - What are the Causes of Daytime Sleepiness?
- Reading: Farewell for Now
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
- Reading: Keep Learning with Michigan Online!
- Graded: Unit 12 Quiz - Daytime Sleepiness and Sleep Need
Grading Policy
Learners are assessed through graded quizzes focused on the physiological and societal aspects of sleep. Optional honors assignments are available for learners seeking distinction but do not affect the standard course grade. The course grade is based on eight quizzes worth 12.5% each.
Professor Emeritus, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Professor Emeritus, Anesthesiology
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
