The Science of Sleep | Dr. Sara Mednick

About this episode

<p><em>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</em></p> <p>---</p> <p>If you're trying to improve your sleep, thinking about doing so right before you get into bed might not be the best approach. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>Dr. Sara Mednick, is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of the new book <a href= "https://www.hachettego.com/titles/sara-c-mednick-phd/the-hidden-power-of-the-downstate/9781549136191/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The Power of the Downstate</em></a>. This episode is part of our month-long "Mental Health Reboot" series to mark Mental Health Awareness Month. </p> <p><br /></p> <p>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.  </p> <p><br /></p> <p>In this conversation, we talk about:</p> <ul> <li>The nuances of napping</li> <li>Dr. Mednick's definition of the "downstate"</li> <li>Whether there are practices that can compensate for poor sleep</li> <li>Why heart rate variability is an important measurement of health</li> <li>Why sex is so helpful for sleep</li> <li>And when to take melatonin to best effect</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href= "https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/sara-mednick-445" rel= "noopener noreferrer" target= "_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/sara-mednick-445</a></p> <p><br /></p>