The Mysteries of REM Sleep

This chapter explores the intricate connection between REM sleep and dreaming, examining its occurrence in both humans and animals. It highlights the phenomenon of REM sleep paralysis, personal anecdotes, and the challenges faced by researchers in understanding the complexities of sleep and its effects on behavior.

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Episode notes

This is episode 4 of a 6-part special series on sleep with Dr. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of the best-selling book "Why We Sleep." In this episode, we discuss the relationship between sleep, learning and creativity.

We explain why and how sleep before and after a learning bout can improve memory and performance for both cognitive tasks and physical skills. We also discuss how to use time learning and sleep, how to use naps, non-sleep deep rest states, and caffeine to optimize learning, and the mechanisms for sleep and memory consolidation.

We also explain the critical role that sleep plays in creativity and one's ability to discover novel solutions to challenges and problems.

This episode is filled with actionable information on using sleep to enhance skill learning and improve memory and creativity.

The next episode in this guest series explains how sleep benefits emotional regulation and mental health.

For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.