Sleep is a physiological need and its conservation throughout evolution suggests an important role in the development and regeneration of body and brain functions. Yet, many aspects of sleep remain a mystery and disorders of sleep represent a modern challenge in neurology and psychiatry. SleepBern stems from a long-standing history of experimental sleep research and sleep medicine at the Inselspital and the University of Bern. Both Institutions have supported the emergence of interdisciplinary networks of neurobiologists, psychologists, computational scientists and clinicians dedicated to the exploration of sleep.