Stockholm university

Research group Division for Sleep and Alertness Research

The research area is focused on sleep and recovery associated with stress. The main idea is that stress/load gives long-term effects only when recovery is disturbed.

In the Sleep lab. Photo: Jens Olof Lasthein

The emphasis is on recovery processes as reflected in the activity of the central nervous system (such as deep sleep, the immune system and endocrine variables as growth hormone and testosterone). This paired with the possible causal factors such as stress, shift work, and the outcome variables such as illness, accident, sickness and mortality. The work includes further development of measurement indicators of poor recovery (for example sleep fragmentation, fatigue measurement, risk of accidents) and stress.

Group description

The research group also conducts research on the burnout similar permits etiology and how to treat and rehabilitate the people affected. Research into such diagnosis and disease mechanisms is done in close collaboration with the Stress Research Clinic, pursuing treatment and rehabilitation of people with stress-related disorders.

Current research topics

  • Causes, mechanisms and effects of stress
  • Sleep, fatigue and recovery
  • Working hours, shift work and fatigue
  • Prevention and treatment of stress and sleeping problems

Group members

Group managers

Lars Göran Kecklund

Professor, Deputy Head of Department

Department of Psychology
Göran Kecklund

Members

John Axelsson

Professor

Department of Psychology
Pressbild John Axelsson. Foto: Sara Appelgren

Andreas Gerhardsson

Guest Researcher

Department of Psychology
Andreas Gerhardsson Foto: Psykologiska institutionen/HD

Arne Lowden

Associate Professor

Department of Psychology
Arne Lowden

Paolo D'Onofrio

Guest

Department of Psychology
Paolo D'Onofrio

Johanna Schwarz

Researcher

Department of Psychology
JS web

Philip Tucker

Researcher

Department of Psychology
Philip Tucker

Torbjörn Åkerstedt

Professor Emeritus

Department of Psychology

Research projects

News