The Human Sleep and Inflammatory Systems Laboratory at the BIDMC is an international leader in conducting research on the biological basis for the effects of sleep loss. Inflammation and immune function are a core aspect of this work to more directly string together the relationships among subjective experience (e.g. pain, stress), physiological systems (e.g. autonomic regulation vis-à-vis blood pressure and heart rate dynamics), sleep patterns and physiology (e.g. electroencephalography, EEG), and disease risk (e.g. cardiovascular disease). Pain is a particular focus of our research, given the well-known bidirectional relationships between pain, sleep, and quality of life. We utilize experimental models of repeated sleep restriction and recovery, sleep extension, and naturalistic observation in both healthy adults and patient populations including insomnia and hypertension.
