Partinen has held many international positions in different research societies including Member of the Scientific Board and Vice-President of the European Sleep Research Society, and President Elect and President of the World Association of Sleep Medicine. He worked as a researcher at Stanford University, USA in 1985–86 and in Bologna, Italy in 1987, and has published more than 330 original international articles and several books, in addition to more than 300 reviews and book chapters. Professor Partinen is an internationally sought-after speaker. He has a holistic approach to combining the three main elements of brain health: sleep, nutrition and physical exercise.

Dr. Partinen has worked with many high-level business leaders, top level athletes including Olympic Games winners, and other experts. He has tools to screen for insomnia, sleep apnea, fatigue and sleepiness. By measuring sympathico-vagal balance combined with sleep recordings using modern digitized technology, he can recognize possible problems and make individual plans to help people be alert and vigilant when awake, and to sleep well when it is time to sleep.