How to Be a Better Human Body Stuff: Do you really need 8 hours of sleep?
8 snips
May 30, 2022 
In this engaging discussion, Dr. Jen Gunter, a leading voice in women's health, is joined by sleep experts Dr. Colleen Carney and Dr. Ben Reese. They tackle the myth of the '8-hour sleep rule,' diving into how sleep varies individually. Anxiety and technology's impact on sleep quality are explored, along with the historical context of sleep practices. They also debunk melatonin myths and emphasize the importance of sleep hygiene, encouraging listeners to rethink their sleep strategies for better rest.
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Defining Sleep
- Sleep is a complex idea, varying based on measurement methods like Fitbits, personal experience, or EEG readings.
- Even experts like Dr. Colleen Carney admit we lack a universally accepted definition of sleep's function.
Sleep Functions
- Sleep promotes tissue restoration, growth hormone release, and brain organization.
- It also facilitates learning, memory formation, and the pruning of unimportant information.
Sleep Stages
- Sleep progresses through stages, from light sleep with environmental awareness to deep, non-responsive sleep crucial for recovery.
- REM sleep, characterized by dreaming, resembles wakefulness in brain activity.
