Foundations in Sleep Health
This course is designed to give you a practical, evidence-based understanding of sleep health and common sleep disorders, helping you feel more confident discussing sleep with clients, patients or colleagues.
By the end of the course, you will have a stronger understanding of the science of sleep, circadian rhythms, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, lifestyle and behavioural factors affecting sleep, and how poor sleep impacts physical and mental health.
You will leave with practical tools, a stronger understanding of sleep, and greater confidence integrating sleep health into your day-to-day work.
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Course Introduction
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Video Modules
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The Background to Sleep
The module covers the background science to sleep. Why we sleep, how sleep is controlled, and the role of the circadian rhythm. Sleep stages and sleep architecture are explained, as well as how sleep changes across the lifespan.
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The Impact of Poor Sleep
There is no system in the body that is not affected by sleep. This modules will cover the impact on our physical health, including cardiovascular disease, weight management and diabetes, as well as the impact on our mental health. This module also discusses the impact of sleep on fitness and performance, and on the workplace.
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Sleep Assessment
Assessing sleep is an essential step in both sleep optimisation and the management of sleep disorders. This module covers both subjective and objective methods of acheiving this, including sleep diaries, screening tools, diagnostic tests and wearable tech.
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Sleep Optimisation
No one gets perfect sleep. Sleep optimisation is a way to increase the likelihood of good sleep, and achieve better night-to-night consistency.
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An Overview of Sleep Disorders
An overview of the classification of sleep disorders
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Insomnia
Chronic insomnia is a common sleep disorder affecting 10% of the adult population, and has a signifcant impact on daytime functioning, as well as longer term health.
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder usually associated with snoring where your airway repeatedly closes as your sleep, leading to extremely fragmented and poor quality sleep. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea is on a meteoric rise.
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Parasomnias
Parasomnias are unusual movements, behaviours or perceptions that occur during sleep, including sleep walking, night terrors, sleep paralysis and nightmare disorder.
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Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome is a common disorder causing an uncomfortable, restless sensation in the leg that settles with movement, but returns shortly after resting. It is more common in the evening and can disrupt sleep.
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Hypersomnias
Hypersomnia means excessive daytimes sleepiness, which can be due to a range of different reasons, even including not spending enough time in bed. ‘Primary hypersomnias’ are conditions that can cause excessive daytime sleepiness by themselves, and the commonest of these is narcolepsy.
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Circadian Rhythm Disorder
Our circadian rhythm is the natural cycle, or momentum, that tells us if it is day or night. It is one of the main systems controlling our sleep. The circadian rhythm can arrive at the wrong time (an intrinsic circadian rhythm disorder) or we can adopt behaviours that do not fit with our circadian rythym, such as shift work or jet lag (the extrinsic circadian rhythm disorders).
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The Role of AI in Sleep Health
AI is a part of all industries, and healthcare is no different. Both clients and healthcare workers use AI. How will this affect the delivery of healthcare? What are the risks and benefits?
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Case Studies
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Thank You for Completing the Course