Seminars@hadley - Independent Living

Do you ever feel like your sleep patterns are different from those of others around you? Do you sometimes feel the unwanted urge or need to fall asleep during the day time when you need to be awake? This could be due to a real sleep problem related to the lack of light needed to keep your body's internal clock in sync. Dr. Steven Lockley from Harvard Medical School will be presenting the story of a sleep problem affecting over 50% of individuals who are totally blind. Topics covered include background on the cause and state of scientific knowledge about this sleep disorder, common symptoms of the sleep problems and current research for diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Steven Lockley is an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and an Associate Neuroscientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He has been studying the effects of light and blindness on sleep and circadian rhythms for 18 years.