Helen J Burgess, PhD
Richard Tam Bipolar and Circadian Research Professor
Professor of Psychiatry
Medical School
Office:
University of Michigan
Rachel Upjohn Building
Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory, 4250 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2700
Rachel Upjohn Building
Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory, 4250 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2700
Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
Available to mentor
Helen J Burgess, PhD
Professor
Manage Your Profile
About
I am a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Co-Director of the Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan. My scientific research examines basic sleep and circadian rhythm mechanisms and also sleep and circadian rhythms in the context of various clinical disorders including alcohol use disorders, autism, bipolar disorder, chronic pain, depression, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, HIV, jet lag, migraine, shift work, sleep disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. I also study how light and melatonin can be used to improve sleep and circadian adaptation to help optimize health and relieve symptom burden. I have developed a method to facilitate accurate measurement of circadian timing in the home environment with appropriate measures of compliance. My research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.
Qualifications
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Postdoctoral Research FellowshipRush University Medical Center, Chicago, United States
2000 - 2022
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Postdoctoral Research FellowshipUniversity of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
1998 - 2000
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PhD, Department of Psychology, Thesis: "Sleep and Circadian Influences on Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Activity", supervised by Dr. John TrinderUniversity of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
1995 - 1998
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BSc, Honours (First Class), Department of Psychology, Thesis: "Autonomic Nervous System Activity during NREM Sleep and Wakefulness", supervised by Dr. John TrinderUniversity of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
1991 - 1994
Center Memberships
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Center MemberEisenberg Family Depression Center
Research Overview
- Sleep and circadian rhythms
- Chronic pain
- Alcohol use disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- HIV
Recent Publications
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Romo-Nava F, Burgess HJ, Blom T, Cao X, Williamson B, Georgiev G, Stoddard J, Goertemoeller M, Fu J, Mori N, Charnas C, Phan P, McNamara R, Welge J, Grilo CM, Scheer F, McElroy SL. 2026 Aug 28; Research Square,PreprintCharacterization of the circadian system in binge eating disorder and the effects of morning bright light and individually timed exogenous melatonin administration: A 4-week feasibility double-blind randomized controlled mechanistic clinical trial
DOI:10.21203/rs.3.rs-10684280/v1 -
Wislocki K, Burgess H, Zalta A. 2026 Aug 14; JMIR Preprints,PreprintExamining the Relationship between Changes in Daytime Activity Structure and PTSD Symptoms during a 4-Week Morning Light Treatment: A Treatment Study (Preprint)
DOI:10.2196/preprints.109181 -
Cenkner DP, Duan A, Horwitz AG, Vijayakumar KSOM, Odgers CL, Burgess HJ, Zalta AK. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 2026 Aug 25; 56 (4):Journal ArticleDaily meaning in life buffers the within‐person relationships between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness with next‐day suicidal ideation: An ecological momentary assessment study
DOI:10.1111/sltb.70136 -
Hernandez CC, Carlson SE, Appelhans BM, Burgess HJ, Quinn L, Allen C, Baron KG. Eat Behav, 2026 Jul 14; 62: 102113Journal ArticleTime-of-day effects on eating behaviors: Examining circadian timing and caloric intake patterns.
DOI:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2026.102113 PMID: 42462503 -
Carlson S, Burgess H, Appelhans B, Quinn L, Allen C, Reid K, Baron K. Sleep, 2026 May 10; 49 (Supplement_1): a7 - a7.Journal Article0015 Associations Between Bedtime Procrastination and Circadian Rest-Activity Rhythms Across One Year
DOI:10.1093/sleep/zsag091.0015 -
Su D, Jansen EC, Goldstein C, Cohen-Mekelburg S, Peterson K, Hudson E, Song P, Burgess H. Sleep, 2026 May 10; 49 (Supplement_1): a48 - a48.Journal Article0111 Later Circadian Timing of the Onset of Eating is Linked to Worse Inflammatory Bowel Disease Outcomes
DOI:10.1093/sleep/zsag091.0111 -
Medina-Poeliniz C, Burgess H, Carlson S, Appelhans B, Quinn L, Baron K. Sleep, 2026 May 10; 49 (Supplement_1): a433 - a434.Journal Article0973 Circadian Phase Drift and Sleep–Circadian Misalignment Predict Adiposity Changes Over One Year in Adults
DOI:10.1093/sleep/zsag091.0972 -
Su D, Goodrich JM, Lee JT, Dolinoy DC, Peterson KE, Chervin RD, Burgess HJ, Téllez-Rojo MM, Cantoral A, Torres-Olascoaga L, Tolentino M, Song PXK, O'Brien LM, Jansen EC. Sleep Medicine, 2026 May 1; 141:Journal ArticleCircadian gene expression in adolescents: Associations with concurrent circadian disruption and subsequent changes in cardiometabolic risk measures
DOI:10.1016/j.sleep.2026.108819 PMID: 41666816
Featured News & Stories
Department News
Helen Burgess, Ph.D., quoted in BBC story "The sleep habits that help you wake up without an alarm"
The sleep habits that help you wake up without an alarm
Department News
The sleep habits that help you wake up without an alarm
Waking up naturally can be surprisingly easy, if you take care of other sleep essentials.
Department News
The 1 Small Change That Can Reset Your Sleep
Helen Burgess, Ph.D., was interviewed for this article published in Time
Department News
Want to Avoid Jet Lag? This Is the Best Time to Fly, Says a Sleep Scientist
Helen Burgess, Ph.D., was interviewed for this article published in Reader's Digest
Department News
The Science of Sleep
Learn from our sleep and circadian rhythm experts
Department News
What’s the Best Way to Wake Up?
Morning sunlight and consistent wake times support circadian health, says Dr. Helen Burgess—15 to 60 minutes of light exposure is beneficial.
