In this engaging discussion, Matthew Walker, a leading sleep scientist and author of *Why We Sleep*, dives into the critical role of sleep in our lives. He reveals surprising insights on sleep stages and the negative impact of alcohol on sleep quality. Walker shares unconventional tips for sleep hygiene and discusses the pitfalls of sleep tracking technology, including its potential to cause anxiety. He emphasizes the importance of understanding individual sleep needs and the benefits of adopting holistic strategies for better sleep.
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insights INSIGHT
Sleep Stages
Human sleep is divided into two types: non-REM and REM.
These types cycle every 90 minutes, with deep non-REM dominating early and REM later.
insights INSIGHT
Individual Sleep Needs
While 7-9 hours of sleep covers most adults, individual needs vary.
Genetic short sleepers, needing 6-6.25 hours, exist but are rare.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Check if You Get Enough Sleep
If you'd sleep past your alarm, you need more sleep.
The snooze button reflects a chronic sleep debt.
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This book delves into the purpose and power of sleep, explaining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Walker discusses how sleep enriches our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions, recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. He also explores the consequences of sleep deprivation and provides actionable steps to improve sleep quality, including ways to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity.
Renowned sleep scientist Matthew Walker discusses everything you need to know about what a better night’s sleep can do for your life, and how to prioritize and perfect the way you sleep. Walker breaks down how to identify when you need more sleep, how to deal with insomnia, the best devices to track your sleep, and some unconventional sleep hygiene tips, including why it’s never a good idea to count sheep. Walker is a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California-Berkeley, and is also the founder and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science. He has published over 100 scientific research studies on the impact of sleep on human brain function, and he is the author of the 2017 book, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.--
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