They market themselves as “life-saving technology” and promise to keep you awake behind the wheel, but what’s the story behind these ‘anti-sleep’ and ‘stay-awake’ apps? How do they work and do they even work? I investigated… Why these ‘anti-sleep’ alarms and apps exist There’s no denying the people behind these apps likely understand the dangers...

Many of us don’t give sleep the recognition it deserves, or we’re constantly fooled by sleep myths and misconceptions. We spend about one third of our lives asleep, so why on earth wouldn’t we prioritise it? That’s why this week we’re setting the record straight by busting some common sleep myths that are keeping you...

We travel for a multitude of reasons, two of which include business and pleasure. Regardless of which, you might find it hard to settle in to a new routine, new environment, and new sleep pattern when you reach your destination. I have travelled extensively throughout my life. When travelling for business, I have found it...

Most of us drive everyday. We drive to and from work, do the school run in the morning and afternoon, couldn’t live without our cars on the weekends, and love heading away on a road trip during the holidays. But why is it that driving makes us tired? You’re just sitting there, right? Not quite....

Learning about sleep and consequently human eye movement is truly fascinating! To think that during certain stages of the sleep cycle our eyes are darting around continuously – while we are in a deep sleep – is quite astonishing. This week, we take a look at eye tracking and movements. Firstly we look at sleep,...

Fatigue, or what we refer to as drowsiness, is the state right before sleep onset. Most people will experience fatigue after completing a heavy gym session, but they will not necessarily be in danger of experiencing a micro-sleep. (A micro-sleep is a temporary episode of sleep lasting up to 30 seconds, often called a ‘nap’...

Many professionals across a variety of industries feel the effects of an abnormal sleeping schedule due to their jobs. From security guards and air traffic controllers, to nurses and other medical personnel, shift work – particularly at night – can take its toll on the human body. The cumulative effects are commonly referred to as...

Dr Murray Johns graduated in medicine from Monash University in 1966. He had previously graduated in science from Melbourne University, and worked as a geologist for a few years before changing his career direction. After postgraduate clinical training at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, he began a program of research into sleep and its disorders. As...

Unfortunately, drowsy driving laws are not as clear-cut as we would want. Even though we universally condemn drowsy driving and understand it’s attributable for one-third of all road accidents, creating government legislature has proven difficult. Drowsy driving is as bad as drunk driving… …so why doesn’t the law reflect this? Drowsiness affects not only drivers...

As you age your sleep requirements change, and if you’re not getting enough sleep, your health and safety can be at risk. This chart by the National Sleep Foundation gives the recommended hours of sleep for all age groups. If you struggle to get the recommended sleep, you may need to change your lifestyle, or...