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The science of sleep

We spend around a third of our lives asleep, but what does sleep do for us? And what can go wrong if we don’t get enough of it?

We spend around a third of our lives asleep, but the reason we sleep is still something of a mystery. Could it be the biggest mistake the evolutionary process has ever made? What does sleep actually do for us?

David Edmonds meets Matthew Walker, one of the world’s leading sleep scientists, to discuss some of his findings. We’ll hear about how the clocks going back has an effect on heart attack rates, and consider why, if you’re struggling to sleep, the worst thing you could do would be to stay in bed.

Presented by David Edmonds. Produced by Robbie Wojciechowski for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service.

Image: A man falling asleep on a train (Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Sun 22 Nov 2020 23:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 21 Nov 2020 16:50GMT
  • Sun 22 Nov 2020 04:50GMT
  • Sun 22 Nov 2020 15:50GMT
  • Sun 22 Nov 2020 19:50GMT
  • Sun 22 Nov 2020 23:50GMT