#445. The Science of Sleep | Dr. Sara Mednick
If you’re trying to improve your sleep, thinking about doing so right before you get into bed might not be the best approach.
Dr. Sara Mednick, is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of the new book The Power of the Downstate. This episode is part of our month-long “Mental Health Reboot” series to mark Mental Health Awareness Month.
According to her research, Dr. Mednick says that we need to take a more holistic approach to getting better sleep, and that sleep is just one of the ways that our bodies rest and restore.
In this conversation, we talk about:
- The nuances of napping
- Dr. Mednick’s definition of the “downstate”
- Whether there are practices that can compensate for poor sleep
- Why heart rate variability is an important measurement of health
- Why sex is so helpful for sleep
- And when to take melatonin to best effect
Where to find Dr. Sara Mednick online:
Website: www.saramednick.com
Social Media:
- Twitter: @Sara_Mednick
- Instagram:@sarailoveyoumore
Book Mentioned:
Other Resources Mentioned:
- Robert Stickgold, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
- James Nestor, author of Breath
- Take a Nap! Change Your Life: The Scientific Plan to Make You Smarter, Healthier, More Productive
