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About Us

The Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital is a group of experts devoted to studying work hours, safety, health and well-being of those who work in safety-sensitive occupations. We have studied first responders, including police officers, firefighters and federal air marshals, maritime bar pilots, resident physicians and other health care workers, officer workers and astronauts.

Our current study is focused on the schedules, safety, health and well-being of resident physicians. Our goal is to understand, through a nationwide web-based survey, the impact of different schedules on adverse outcomes and personal well-being.

Laura K. Barger, PhD

Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, part-time

Associate Physiologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital, full-time

Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Christopher Landrigan, MD, MPH

Chief, Division of General Pediatrics; Assistant in Medicine Research and Fellowship Director,
Boston Children’s Hospital
Inpatient Program Director; Sleep and Patient SafetyProgram,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Matthew D. Weaver, PhD

Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D.

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Jason Sullivan

Senior Project Manager

Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Salim Qadri

Web software & data collection

Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

Select Publications

  • Barger,LK, Sullivan, JP, Blackwell, T, O’Brien, CS, St. Hillaire, MA, Rahman, S, Phillips, AJK, Qadri, S, Wright, KP, Segar, JL, McGuire, JK, Vitiello, MV, de la Iglesia, HO, Poynter, SE, Yu, PL, Zee, P, Sanderson, AL, Halbower, AC, Lockley, SW, Landrigan, CP, Stone, KL, Czeisler on behalf of the ROSTERS Study Group. Effects on Resident Work Hours, Sleep Duration and Work Experience in a Randomized Order Safety Trial Evaluating Resident-physician Schedules (ROSTERS). Sleep. 2019. PMC6685326 [Available on 2020-05-20]
  • Weaver MD, Landrigan CP, Sullivan JP, Vetter C, Wang W, O’Brien CS, Qadri S, Viyaran N, Czeisler CA, Barger LK. The association between resident physician work hour regulations and physician safety and health. American Journal of Medicine. 2020; doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.12.053. In Press.
  • VoPham T*, Weaver MD*, Vetter C, Hart JE, Tamimi RM, Laden F, Bertrand KA. Circadian misalignment and hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in the United States. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention. 2018. Epub 2018 Apr 11. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-1052. *co-first-author
  • Patterson PD, Weaver MD, Fabio A, Teasley EM, Renn ML, Curtis BR, Matthews ME, Kroemer AJ, Xun X, Bizhanova Z, Weiss PM, Sequeira DJ, Coppler PJ, Lang ES, Higgins JS. Reliability and validity of survey instruments to measure work-related fatigue in the emergency medical services setting: A systematic review. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2018; DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2017.1376134.
  • Patterson PD, Runyon MS, Higgins JS, Weaver MD, Teasley EM, Kroemer AJ, Matthews ME, Curtis BR, Flickinger KL, Xun X, Bizhanova Z, Weiss PM, Condle JP, Renn ML, Sequeira DJ, Coppler PJ, Lang ES, Martin-Gill C. Shorter versus longer shift durations to mitigate fatigue and fatigue-related risks in emergency medical services personnel and related shift workers: A systematic review. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2018; DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2017.1376135.
  • Barger, LK, Rajaratnam, SMW, Cannon, CP, Lukas, MA, Im, K, Goodrich, EL, Czeisler, CA, O’Donoghue, ML. Short sleep duration, obstructive sleep apnea, shiftwork and the risk of adverse cardiovascular events in patients after an acute coronary syndrome. JAHA. 2017 Oct 10. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.117.006559
  • Phillips AJK, Clerx WM, O'Brien CS, Sano A, Barger LK, Picard RW, Lockley SW, Klerman EB, Czeisler CA. Irregular sleep/wake patterns are associated with poorer academic performance and delayed circadian and sleep/wake timing. Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 12;7(1):3216. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-03171-4. PMID: 28607474
  • Brainard GC, Barger LK, Soler RR, Hanifin JP. The development of lighting countermeasures for sleep disruption and circadian misalignment during spaceflight. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2016 Nov;22(6):535-44. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000329. PubMed PMID: 27607152.
  • Flynn-Evans EE, Barger LK, Kubey AA, Sullivan JP, Czeisler CA. Circadian misalignment affects sleep and medication use before and during spaceflight. NPJ Microgravity. 2016 Jan 7;2:15019. doi: 10.1038/npjmgrav.2015.19. eCollection 2016. PubMed PMID: 28725719; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5515517.
  • Czeisler, CA. Duration, timing and quality of sleep are each vital for health, performance and safety. Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, Vol. 1, Issue 1, p5–8. 2015.
  • Quan SF, Barger LK. Brief Review: Sleep Health and Safety for Transportation Workers: A Persistent Problem. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care 2015;10:130-9
  • Weaver MD, Patterson PD, Fabio A, Moore CG, Freiberg MS, Songer TJ. An observational study of shift length, crew familiarity, and occupational injury and illness in emergency medical services workers. Occ Env Med. 2015; 72(11): 798-804.
  • Barger LK, Flynn-Evans EE, Kubey A, Walsh L, Ronda JM, Wang W, Wright KP Jr,Czeisler CA. Prevalence of sleep deficiency and use of hypnotic drugs in astronauts before, during, and after spaceflight: an observational study. Lancet Neurol. 2014 Sep;13(9):904-12. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(14)70122-X. Epub 2014 Aug 7. PubMed PMID: 25127232; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4188436.
  • Barger LK, Wright, KP, Jr, Burke, TM, Chinoy, ED, Ronda, JM, Lockley SW, Czeisler CA. Sleep and Cognitive Function of Crewmembers and Mission Controllers Working 24-Hour Shifts During a Simulated 105-day Spaceflight Mission. Acta Astronautica. January 2014 93: 230-242.
  • Barger LK, Sullivan JP, Vincent, AS, Fiedler, ER, McKenna, LM, Flynn-Evans, EE, Gilliland, K, Sipes, WE, Smith, PH, Brainard, GC, Lockley SW. Learning To Live on a Martian Day: Fatigue Countermeasures during the Phoenix Mars Lander Mission. 2012. Oct 1; 35(10): 1423-35. PMID: 23024441.
  • Gordon MB, Sectish TC, Elliott MN, Klein D, Landrigan CP, Bogart LM, Amrock S, Burke A, Chiang VW, Schuster MA. Pediatric residents' perspectives on reducing work hours and lengthening residency: a national survey. 2012 Jul;130(1):99-107.
  • Barger LK, Ogeil RP, Drake CL, O'Brien CS, Ng KT, Rajaratnam SM. Validation of a Questionnaire to Screen for Shift Work Disorder. Sleep 2012; 35(12):1693-1703. PMC1705824
  • Ftouni S, Sletten TL, Barger LK, Lockley SW, Rajaratnam SMW. Shift Work Disorder. In Barkoukis T, Matheson JK, Ferber R, Doghramji K, editors. Therapy in Sleep Medicine. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2011; p. 378-389.
  • Blum AB, Shea S, Czeisler CA, Landrigan CP, Leape L. Implementing the 2009 Institute of Medicine recommendations on resident physician work hours, supervision, and safety. Nat Sci Sleep. 2011 Jun 24;3:47-85.
  • Blum AB, Raiszadeh F, Shea S, Mermin D, Lurie P, Landrigan CP, Czeisler CA. US public opinion regarding proposed limits on resident physician work hours. BMC Med. 2010 Jun 1;8:33.
  • Gordon JA, Alexander EK, Lockley SW, Flynn-Evans E, Venkatan SK, Landrigan CP, Czeisler CA; Harvard Work Hours, Health, and Safety Group (Boston, Massachusetts). Does simulator-based clinical performance correlate with actual hospital behavior? The effect of extended work hours on patient care provided by medical interns. Acad Med. 2010 Oct;85(10):1583-8.
  • Levine AC, Adusumilli J, Landrigan CP. Effects of reducing or eliminating resident work shifts over 16 hours: a systematic review. Sleep. 2010 Aug;33(8):1043-53.
  • Whitmire AM, Leveton LB, Barger L, Brainard G, Dinges DF, Klerman E, Shea C. Chapter 3: Risk of performance errors due to sleep loss, circadian desynchronization, fatigue and work overload. In McPhee JC, Charles JB., editors. Human Health and Performance Risks of Space Exploration Missions. Houston: NASA SP-2009-3405; 2009. p. 85-116.
  • Cappuccio FP, Bakewell A, Taggart FM, Ward G, Ji C, Sullivan JP, Edmunds M, Pounder R, Landrigan CP, Lockley SW, Peile E; Warwick EWTD Working Group. Implementing a 48 h EWTD-compliant rota for junior doctors in the UK does not compromise patients' safety: assessor-blind pilot comparison. QJM. 2009 Apr;102(4):271-82.
  • Landrigan CP, Fahrenkopf AM, Lewin D, Sharek PJ, Barger LK, Eisner M, Edwards S, Chiang VW, Wiedermann BL, Sectish TC. Effects of the accreditation council for graduate medical education duty hour limits on sleep, work hours, and safety. 2008 Aug;122(2):250-8. PMID: 18676540.
  • Fahrenkopf AM, Sectish TC, Barger LK, Sharek PJ, Lewin D, Chiang VW, Edwards S, Wiedermann BL, Landrigan CP. Rates of medication errors among depressed and burnt out residents: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2008 Mar 1;336(7642):488-91.
  • Lockley SW, Barger LK, Ayas NT, Rothschild JM, Czeisler CA, Landrigan CP: Harvard Work Hours, Health and Safety Group. Effects of health care provider work hours and sleep deprivation on safety and performance. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2007; 33(11 Suppl):7-18.
  • Landrigan CP, Czeisler CA, Barger LK, Ayas NT, Rothschild JM, Lockley SW; Harvard Work Hours, Health and Safety Group. Effective implementation of work-hour limits and systemic improvements. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2007 Nov;33(11 Suppl):19-29.
  • Barger LK, Ayas NT, Cade BE, Cronin JW, Rosner B, Speizer FE, Czeisler CA. Impact of Extended-Duration Shifts on Medical Errors, Adverse Events, and Attentional Failures. PLoS Med. 2006; 3(12):e487. PMC1705824
  • Ayas, NT, Barger, LK, Cade BE, Hashimoto, D, Rosner, B, Cronin, JW, Speizer, FE and Czeisler, CA. Extended Work Duration and the Risk of Self-Reported Percutaneous Injuries in Interns. JAMA 2006; 296:1055-1062.
  • Ayas, NT, Barger, LK, Cade BE, Hashimoto, D, Rosner, B, Cronin, JW, Speizer, FE and Czeisler, CA. Extended Work Duration and the Risk of Self-Reported Percutaneous Injuries in Interns. 2006; 296:1055-1062.
  • Barger LK, Ayas NT, Cade BE, Cronin JW, Rosner B, Speizer FE, Czeisler CA. Impact of Extended-Duration Shifts on Medical Errors, Adverse Events, and Attentional Failures. PLoS Med. 2006; 3(12):e487.
  • Landrigan CP, Barger LK, Cade BE, Ayas NT, Czeisler, CA. Interns’ Compliance with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Work-Hour Limits. 2006; 296(9):1063-1070.
  • Lockley SW, Landrigan CP, Barger LK, Czeisler CA. When Policy Meets Physiology: The Challenge of Reducing Resident Work Hours. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2006; 449:116-127.
  • Landrigan CP, Lockley SW, Czeisler CA. Effect of intern's consecutive work hours on safety, medical education and professionalism. Crit Care. 2005 Oct 5;9(5):528-30; author reply 528-30. Epub 2005 May 24.
  • Barger LK, Cade BE, Ayas NT, Cronin JW, Rosner B, Speizer FE, Czeisler CA; Harvard Work Hours, Health, and Safety Group. Extended work shifts and the risk of motor vehicle crashes among interns. N Engl J Med. 2005; 352(2):125-34.
  • Landrigan CP, Rothschild JM, Cronin JW, Kaushal R, Burdick E, Katz JT, Lilly CM, Stone PH, Lockley SW, Bates DW, Czeisler CA. Effect of reducing interns' work hours on serious medical errors in intensive care units. N Engl J Med. 2004 Oct 28;351(18):1838-48.
  • Lockley SW, Cronin JW, Evans EE, Cade BE, Lee CJ, Landrigan CP, Rothschild JM, Katz JT, Lilly CM, Stone PH, Aeschbach D, Czeisler CA; Harvard Work Hours, Health and Safety Group. Effect of reducing interns' weekly work hours on sleep and attentional failures. N Engl J Med. 2004 Oct 28;351(18):1829-37.
  • Czeisler CA, Johnson MP, Duffy JF, Brown EN, Ronda JM, Kronauer, RE. Exposure to bright light and darkness to treat physiologic maladaptation to night work. New Engl J Med 1990;322:1253-1259. PMID2325721