Back to Sleep: Neurobiology, Medicine, and Society
University of Michigan

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.

Status: Mathematical Modeling
Status: Respiration
BeginnerCourse21 hours

Featured reviews

DS

5.0Reviewed May 29, 2019

One of the best courses on Coursera and among the best ones that is from the University of Michigan on this platform. More this way!!

LH

5.0Reviewed Dec 3, 2020

I really loved this course . I recommend everyone who are taking this course to take the honors sections because they will definitely enrich you.

NI

5.0Reviewed Aug 25, 2019

This is good enough to understand about the basic of sleeping.. Everyone should take this course it has good knowledge.Teachers are nice.

TM

5.0Reviewed Mar 3, 2018

Very good course! I liked it a lot not only on professional perspective, but also personally to understand the importance of a good sleep and how everything is related.

DC

4.0Reviewed Jul 2, 2025

I would love to see this course updated from 2014 to current as there have been advances in the information. Enjoyed the course overall!

JQ

5.0Reviewed Jan 2, 2018

Excellent course! A great review on stuff I should have remembered but of course have forgotten as I've aged. My thanks to those organizing and teaching the course! Dr Quincy

TM

5.0Reviewed Jun 21, 2020

This course was awesome. The instructors explained the materials nicelly, the pacing of the classes was also great. I loved the topics and understanding more about sleep. I highly recommend this.

MJ

5.0Reviewed Jan 7, 2021

I have earned sincere knowledge that could only be transmitted by experienced professors and researchers, thanks for the ultimate experience.

VS

5.0Reviewed Apr 5, 2022

Maravillos, me encanto, apremdi mucho sobre el sueño y su importancia en nuestra vida. Agradezco a los profesores por compartir su conocimiento co nosotros.

AM

4.0Reviewed Apr 16, 2024

The SLEEP: Neurobiology, Medicine and Society course was amazing. I learnt a lot about the subject matter and I would recommend this course if you want to learn more about the subject matter.

HM

4.0Reviewed Dec 29, 2019

I have always wanted to learn about sleep and its disorders since I was a child. Now thanks to this course, I have learnt a lot about sleep and related issues.

VM

5.0Reviewed Apr 26, 2020

Amazing course! Loved it. Just please provide notes and slides. Thank you so much all the instructors and the entire team. Highly recommended.

All reviews

Showing: 20 of 176

olivier hergault
3.0
Reviewed Dec 27, 2018
JOHN QUINCY
5.0
Reviewed Jan 3, 2018
Miranda Clayton
5.0
Reviewed Aug 2, 2018
ahmad Darwish
5.0
Reviewed Nov 19, 2019
Vincent Ross
5.0
Reviewed Oct 20, 2020
Demian Ortega Lara
2.0
Reviewed Jun 6, 2020
Eric Theallet
5.0
Reviewed Mar 27, 2019
Folarin Adewale
5.0
Reviewed Apr 28, 2020
Khanh Huu Nguyen
5.0
Reviewed Jul 6, 2019
Tarun Upadhyaya
5.0
Reviewed Dec 7, 2022
송지호
5.0
Reviewed Nov 16, 2019
Richie Propster
5.0
Reviewed Jun 25, 2020
Nada FATH
5.0
Reviewed May 2, 2020
Krishna Bharadwaj
5.0
Reviewed Aug 22, 2020
Pallavi Bhat
5.0
Reviewed Sep 13, 2020
Nicola James
5.0
Reviewed May 5, 2019
Helen Barnes
5.0
Reviewed Aug 6, 2020
Tauane Menezes
5.0
Reviewed Jun 22, 2020
Αντωνία Δρούγκα
5.0
Reviewed Nov 18, 2020
Thiago Di Matteo
5.0
Reviewed Mar 4, 2018