faculty of social sciences: School of Psychology
flinders university
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Professor Leon Lack

B.A. (Stanford), Ph.D. (Adelaide)

   

Research Interests

Generally my research interests are in the areas of circadian rhythms, sleep, and insomnia and I am director of the sleep research laboratory. We have explored circadian rhythm abnormalities that contribute to insomnia, jet lag and nightshift and their treatment with bright light therapy most recently with the use of light emitting diodes. Our basic research into the afternoon sleepy period has shown it to be endogenous to the circadian system but that it can be ameliorated with the use of a brief (10 minute) afternoon nap. Recently we have been developing a new insomnia treatment "Flinders Accelerated Sleep Therapy" FAST. We are interested in the cognitive elements of insomnia, in particularly the misperception of sleep/wake state by insomniacs and how perceptual retraining may treat insomnia. Finally, we are exploring the degree of overlap between the sleep disorders of insomnia and sleep apnea and the implications for treating this co-morbidity.

Postgraduate Students


Jane Cocks

Project Title:
Evaluating a non-pharmacological combination treatment of bright light therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia in older adults

Jodie Harris

Project Title:
A Comparative Evaluation of Behavioural Therapies for Psychophysiological Insomnia


Nicole Lovato

Project Title:
The restorative effect of daytime naps.

 

Selected Publications

Lack. L. C., Gradisar, M. G., Van Someren, E. J. W., Wright, H., & Lushington, K. (2008). The relationship between insomnia and body temperatures. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 12(4), 307-317.

Lack, L., Bramwell, T., Wright, H., Kemp, K. (2007). Morning blue light can advance the melatonin rhythm in mild delayed sleep phase syndrome. Sleep and biological rhythms, 5, 78-80.

Lack, L., Wright, H. (2007). Clinical Management of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. Behavioural Sleep Medicine, 5, 57-76.

Brooks, A., & Lack, L. (2006). A brief afternoon nap following noctural sleep restriction: Which nap duration is more recuperative? Sleep, 29, 831-840.

Gradisar, M., Lack, L., Wright, H., Harris, J., Brooks, A. (2006). Do chronic primary insomniacs have impaired heat loss when attempting sleep? Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 290: R1115-1121.

Lack, L., Wright, H., Gibbon, S., Kemp, K. (2005). The treatment of early-morning awakening insomnia with two evenings of bright light. Sleep, 28, 616-623.

Gradisar, M. & Lack, L. (2004). Relationships between the circadian rhythms of finger temperature, core temperature, sleep latency, and subjective sleepiness. J. Biological Rhythms, 19, 157-163.

Wright, H. R., Lack, L. C., & Kennaway, D. J. (2004). Differential effects of light wavelength in phase advancing the melatonin rhythm. J. Pineal Res., 36,140-144.

Tietzel, A. & Lack, L. (2002). The recuperative value of brief and ultra-brief naps on alterness and cognitive performance. Journal of Sleep Research, 11, 213-218.

Mercer, J. D., Bootzin, R. R., & Lack, L. C. (2002). Insomniacs' perception of wake instead of sleep. Sleep, 25 (5): 564-571.

Lushington, K. & Lack, L. (2002). Non-pharmacological treatments of insomnia. Isreal Journal of Psychiatry, 39 (1): 36-49.

Contact Details

School of Psychology
Flinders University of South Australia
GPO Box 2100
Adelaide, South Australia 5001

Office: 331 Social Sciences North
Phone: (+61 8) 8201 2391
Fax: (+61 8) 8201 3877
Email: leon.lack@flinders.edu.au