First international higher education program in sleep medicine

The first CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) in "Sleep, Consciousness and Related Disorders" course is starting this autumn. The new higher education course in a growing field of medicine is a cooperation between the University of Bern and the Università della Svizzera italiana, as well as the Inselspital Bern and the Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale in Ticino. Sleep is not just important for people and animals to save energy but also for the processes in the brain and various organs to recover and repair. Mechanisms associated with sleep also promote the development of the brain and cognition, and the brain's ability to regenerate and restructure itself. Sleep-wake disorders can be the first signs of illnesses such as Parkinson's and dementia or depression. It is therefore vital to map the importance of sleep for mental health, brain functions and physical performance in healthy and sick conditions with animals and humans. The University of Bern is offering the CAS in "Sleep, Consciousness and Related Disorders" together with the Università della Svizzera italiana. It is the first international higher education program in Switzerland in the field of sleep medicine. The course focuses on teaching the latest research findings in the field of sleep medicine, consciousness and its related disorders. Possible methods to measure the states of sleep and consciousness as well as proven approaches to treat known pathologies are going to be taught using various learning methods. Great flexibility thanks to self-study