Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 11, 2026
08:36
Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
12.9K
One Eye Open: Reflections on Embedding Lived Experience in Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Mood Disorder Research
Samuel J Hockey1, Sarah McKenna1, Alexander Hill1
1Youth Mental Health & Technology Team, The Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Summary
Embedding lived experience in youth mental health research requires intentional structures and investment. Co-production across research design, governance, and dissemination enhances relevance and impact.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Research
- Youth Psychiatry
- Co-production Methodologies
Background:
- Lived experience integration in mental health research is inconsistent, often limited to advisory roles.
- This limits meaningful engagement and the translational impact of research findings.
- Youth-onset mood disorders and circadian rhythm disturbances are key areas for improved research integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the implementation of co-production with a Lived Experience Working Group in a youth mental health research program.
- To provide practical guidance for embedding lived experience as core expertise in research.
- To address challenges and tensions in power-sharing and scalability.
Main Methods:
- Case study of a five-year Wellcome Trust-funded program on sleep and circadian rhythms in youth-onset mood disorders.
- Development and function of an embedded Lived Experience Working Group.
- Analysis of co-production across research design, governance, interpretation, and dissemination.
Main Results:
- Co-production was actioned and refined throughout the research lifecycle.
- Lived experience contributions were highlighted alongside relational and structural tensions.
- Practical challenges in inclusion, power-sharing, scalability, and translation were identified.
Conclusions:
- Embedding lived experience necessitates intentional governance, reflexive practices, and institutional investment.
- Meaningful integration requires addressing power dynamics and ensuring scalability.
- This viewpoint offers guidance for researchers aiming to enhance youth mental health research through co-production.
Related Concept Videos
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
4.7K
The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent...
4.7K
01:22Stages of Sleep
1.6K
Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
1.6K
01:13Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation
1.2K
Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
1.2K
01:27Insomnia
563
Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, and waking up too early without being able to return to sleep. People with insomnia often experience these disruptions at least three nights a week for at least one month. Chronic insomnia, which lasts for at least three months, can lead to increased anxiety, which in turn can worsen sleep difficulties, creating a cycle of sleeplessness and stress.
Multiple factors contribute...
Multiple factors contribute...
563
01:15REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
2.2K
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
RBD is significantly associated with...
RBD is significantly associated with...
2.2K
02:45Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses
41.9K
The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.
41.9K