Sleep Science
What happens to sleep and dreams as we age
Newborns spend half their sleep in REM. By eighty, slow-wave sleep has largely disappeared and the clock has moved forward by hours. Almost none of this is optional.
Sleep Science
Circadian rhythm, sleep stages and what the lab actually measures.
Sleep Science
Insomnia in the second half of the night, and what wakes you at four
Sleep-maintenance insomnia has a different differential from difficulty falling asleep. Cortisol, alcohol, apnoea, the bladder and the body clock are all more likely explanations than anxiety alone.
Sleep Science
Sleep debt: what it is, what it is not, and whether you can repay it
The metaphor of a debt implies a ledger that can be cleared. Recovery sleep is real, it is prioritised in a specific order, and some of the deficit does not appear to come back.
Sleep Science
Sleep, appetite and why a bad night makes you hungry
Restrict sleep for two nights and appetite hormones shift measurably, food choices change, and reward responses to high-calorie food increase. The effect is real and smaller than the headlines.