Prof Leon Lack
Prof Leon Lack is a Professor in Psychology at Flinders University in Adelaide. Since 1980 he has conducted basic and clinical sleep research with the frequent support of the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. Dr. Lack is often invited to speak about sleep and treatments of insomnia to medical practitioners, psychologists and the general public. Since 1990 he has also conducted an insomnia treatment clinic in the multidisciplinary sleep unit, Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health. He was a founding member, past president, and continues active involvement in the Australasian Sleep Association.
Research interests
Dr Lack’s research team 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. Their 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. They 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, they are exploring the degree of overlap between the sleep disorders of insomnia and sleep apnoea and the implications for treating this co-morbidity.
