Ask Me Anything Part 23: The Gut, Grief, Creativity, and Microsleeps

24 snips

Dec 8, 2025

Join sleep scientist Eti Ben Simon as she delves into the intricate relationship between sleep and health. Discover how sleep deprivation affects gut health and learn about probiotics that might help. They candidly discuss the intertwining of grief and insomnia, offering strategies to improve sleep during sorrowful times. Explore how REM sleep boosts creativity and problem-solving, revealing techniques like Edison's napping method. Finally, they highlight the dangers of microsleeps and potential tech solutions to combat drowsy driving.

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INSIGHT

Sleep Shapes Your Microbiome

Sleep loss and circadian misalignment shift gut microbiome composition and reduce diversity.
These changes mirror profiles seen in depression and IBS, and may reverse with sleep recovery.

INSIGHT

Microbial Therapies Can Affect Sleep

Probiotic strains like specific Lactobacillus show promise in improving subjective sleep measures.
Fecal microbiota transfer from good sleepers improved sleep efficiency in chronic insomnia cases.

ADVICE

Eat A Diverse Diet For Gut Health

Increase dietary diversity and colorful whole foods to support microbiome diversity.
A diverse gut ecosystem correlates with greater resilience and health.

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In this latest AMA episode, Matt and Dr. Eti Ben Simon explore the complex web connecting sleep to our health and daily lives. They investigate the gut-brain axis, discussing how sleep deprivation alters the microbiome and whether probiotics can restore balance. The conversation also addresses the heavy toll of bereavement, examining the bidirectional link between acute grief and insomnia while offering evidence-based strategies to manage sleep during times of loss.

The discussion shifts to creativity, revealing how REM sleep acts as "informational alchemy" to fuel innovation for artists and scientists alike. Matt and Eti share practical tips for harnessing sleep for breakthroughs, including Edison's famous napping technique. Finally, they cover the dangers of microsleeps - brief, uncontrollable lapses in attention - highlighting the risks of drowsy driving and how emerging technology can help save lives.

Please note that Matt is not a medical doctor, and none of the content in this podcast should be considered medical advice in any way, shape, or form, nor prescriptive in any way.

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As always, if you have thoughts or feedback you’d like to share, please reach out to Matt:

Matt: Instagram @drmattwalker, X @sleepdiplomat,

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA3FB1fOtY4Vd8yqLaUvolg

Eti: X @etoosh, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eti_bensimon/, or email at etoosh@gmail.com