Effects of circadian disruption and sleep deprivation in respiratory disorders

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This project aims to determine the impact of reduced sleep hours and jet lag-sleep time shift in two very common breathing disorders; sleep apnea (snoring sickness) and asthma. We will also make measurements in healthy normal people as well. Reduced sleep hours are common in many sections of society due to a number of factors, including increased work hours, overtime, shiftwork, medical conditions (sleep and other medical disorders), caring for a new baby, and other family and social demands. In addition, body clock disruption due to shiftwork, transmeridien travel, circadian based sleep disorders and other factors that shift the timing of normal sleep-wake behaviour is also very prevalent in today's society. The effects of reduced sleep hours and jet lag-sleep time shift effect a number of body systems but have only been studied to a limited extent in the breathing system. Jet lag-sleep time shift changes are result of changes to the body clock rhythms - these rhythms effect coordinate activities of essentially all bodily functions, vigilance and thinking, heart, breathing, hormones, bowel function and the immune system that fights off infection and cancer. Together, this body clock system and sleep coordinate the majority of systems of the body and brain. This project will address a number of questions including whether reduced sleep hours worsen brain function in sleep apnea or whether shifting sleep (jet lag effect) can worsen airway function and increase risk of asthma. We will use two types of study - simulated jet lag and reduced sleep hours under complete laboratory supervision to test our theories