Performance Intelligence Bite Size: What Bad Sleep Costs You | Prof Vincent Walsh
Nov 2, 2025
Professor Vincent Walsh, a leading brain researcher and neuroscience professor, dives into the intricacies of sleep and its profound impact on cognition. He debunks the myth of biohacking sleep, revealing why shortcuts can be harmful. Vincent explains the crucial stages of sleep and their roles in memory and learning, emphasizing early deep sleep and late REM phases. The conversation highlights the true costs of poor sleep habits and why embracing natural sleep cycles is essential for optimal brain function.
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Evening Scientist Prefers Late Starts
- Vincent Walsh admits he's an evening person who often reads until 1:30 AM and dislikes early meetings.
- He jokingly says early meeting invites make him want to call at 2 AM to check if they still want the meeting.
Sleep Is A Multi-Stage Brain State
- Sleep is a defined brain state composed of multiple stages measured by brain activity, not by wrist apps or proxies.
- You need all stages of sleep across cycles to get the full restorative and cognitive benefits.
90-Minute Cycles Matter
- You cycle through deep sleep and REM roughly every 90 minutes for four to six cycles nightly.
- Each phase serves different functions, so missing phases cannot be fully replaced by shortcuts.