Research Projects
Sleep and circadian rhythms shape nearly every aspect of human health — from mood and cognition to physical, mental, and social health. My research centres on behavioral sleep and circadian medicine, with a focus on mechanisms and interventions for sleep disorders across the lifespan. I work at the intersection of clinical psychology, chronobiology, and public health.
🔬 Current Projects
Developing a Behavioural Sleep Intervention for NHS Shift Workers
Principal Investigator: Simon Kyle, David Ray · University of Oxford
This project designs and tests a tailored sleep programme for UK NHS staff working irregular shifts. The intervention is co-developed with people who have lived experience of shift work, combining circadian-based strategies, such as bright light exposure at specific times, with behavioural strategies adapted from cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). Co-development with individuals who have lived experience ensures that the intervention is patient-centred and directly addresses the specific challenges faced by shift workers in the NHS. The goal is to help participants sleep better, adjust more easily to changing schedules, and improve overall health and alertness.
Efficacy of CBT-I with Bright Light Therapy for Youths with Insomnia and Evening Chronotype
Principal Investigator: Shirley Li · University of Hong Kong
This randomised controlled trial tests whether adding bright light therapy to standard CBT-I improves sleep in young people who have trouble falling asleep until late at night (evening chronotype) and struggle with insomnia. We are measuring changes in sleep patterns, mood, and internal body clock timing (including biological marker called dim-light melatonin onset) to see if the combined approach produces greater benefits than CBT-I alone.
[Project Page]The Role of Circadian Characteristics in Adolescents with Insomnia
Principal Investigator: Shirley Li · University of Hong Kong
For my doctoral research, I studied how the circadian rhythm affects sleep problems in adolescent, especially those with delayed sleep–wake phase disorder (DSWPD) and insomnia. We found that disruptions to the circadian rhythm are a major factor in adolescent insomnia, particularly in night-owls. The results also revealed similarities between DSWPD and insomnia, suggesting that both may respond to integrated treatments that target the body clock alongside sleep habits.
[Project Page]📖 You can explore my full list of publications.
🤝 If you’re interested in collaborating, drop me a message!
🧩 Research Themes
- Adolescent mental health
- Behavioural sleep interventions
- Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)
- Chronotherapeutics
- Bright light therapy
- Melatonin
- Sleep and circadian rhythm
- Sleep disorders
- Delayed sleep–wake phase disorder (DSWPD)
- Insomnia
- Shift work disorder
🔑 Keywords
Adolescent sleep · Behavioural sleep interventions · Bright light therapy · Circadian medicine · Chronotherapy · Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) · Insomnia · Shift work disorder