How can a neuroscientist and an architect help us to understand the world of sleep and the rhythms that govern our lives? A conversation between Professor Russell Foster, author of Lifetime (Penguin, 2022), and Head of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at the University of Oxford, and world-renowned architect Ian Ritchie.

Sleep, Light, Architecture

The COVID pandemic exposed the extent to which sleep is entwined with social conditions - sleep is highly dynamic and very little about sleep is unchangeable. For example, changed social conditions over the past 100 years appear to have had a marked impact upon key elements of sleep. Studies on circadian rhythms and sleep, along with historical insights, have shown that such changed societal conditions have resulted in a detachment of these key biological rhythms from the geophysical cycle of light and dark, with major deleterious effects upon human functioning, wellbeing, and creativity.

Rhythmicity is not only at the heart of sleep and chronobiology, but is also fundamental to the humanities. 

The network is led by Dr Sebastian Klinger (Modern Languages), Professor Sally Shuttleworth (English), Professor Russell Foster (Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute) and Dr Alessandra Aloisi (Medieval and Modern Languages).

Education

The COVID pandemic exposed the extent to which sleep is entwined with social conditions - sleep is highly dynamic and very little about sleep is unchangeable. For example, changed social conditions over the past 100 years appear to have had a marked impact upon key elements of sleep. Studies on circadian rhythms and sleep, along with historical insights, have shown that such changed societal conditions have resulted in a detachment of these key biological rhythms from the geophysical cycle of light and dark, with major deleterious effects upon human functioning, wellbeing, and creativity. Rhythmicity is not only at the heart of sleep and chronobiology, but is also fundamental to the humanities. The network is led by Dr Sebastian Klinger (Modern Languages), Professor Sally Shuttleworth (English), Professor Russell Foster (Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute) and Dr Alessandra Aloisi (Medieval and Modern Languages).

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Sleep, Light, Architecture

Sleep, Light, Architecture