Dan Harris
Ten Percent Happier
The Science of Sleep | Dr. Sara Mednick
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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

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/sara-mednick-445

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Dan Harris
Ten Percent Happier
Dan Harris is a fidgety, skeptical journalist who had a panic attack on live national television, which led him to try something he otherwise never would have considered: meditation. He went on to write the bestselling book 10% Happier. On this show, Dan talks with eminent meditation teachers, top scientists, and even the odd celebrity.