We spend a third of our lives sleeping. The benefits for our brain are incredible.

Restorative sleep is essential for good brain health. When you sleep, your brain washes away waste products from around your synapses, consolidates short-term memories into long-term knowledge, and processes thoughts and emotions.

In this episode, we explain how, and discuss:

• How much sleep your brain really needs
• The different phases of sleep, and how each one strengthens your cognition
• Why good sleep is key for minimising the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases
• Insomnia, sleep apnea, and other sleep disorders, and how to treat them
• The environmental factors which can help improve sleep
• Why paying too much attention to sleep trackers and smart wearables can do more harm than good

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Donn Posner, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.

We also welcome Dr. Sujay Kansagra, the Director of Duke’s Pediatric Neurology Sleep Medicine Program and an Assistant Professor in Duke’s School of Medicine.