The brain in a non-stop round the world regatta. Chronobiology and sleep management

The sailors in a round the world regatta, race around the globe from west to east for three months, sailing in watches of four hours. They sail down the Atlantic from north to south, with little variation in longitude, but descending the latitudes of the planet, going from the northern winter to the southern summer. They them round Antarctica, crossing longitudes, gaining a day on the calendar as they go. A situation like this takes its toll on their biological clocks and sleep patterns and their cognitive capacity and physical performance are affected.

In this course you will learn the foundations of the biological patterns governing sleep and performance in general, it's application to solo and double-handed ocean sailing. Students look at how circadian rhythms are disrupted as one sails round the world, after months of environmental changes. Students examine the distribution of the activity-sleep rhythm and what strategies sailors employ to sleep and adapt to the gruelling course.