Your Sleep & Dreams Are Warning You! - Common Habits Before Bed Decreasing Lifespan | Guy Leschziner

Rangan Chatterjee

Feb 26, 2025

Episode description

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Did you know that up to 40% of adults in Western countries struggle to get enough sleep?

While some societies have historically never even had a word for insomnia, our modern world has created an epidemic of sleep problems, which affect not only our creativity, empathy, appetite and mood but countless other aspects of who we are, too.

This week's guest is Professor Guy Leschziner, a neurologist at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in London and a professor of neurology and sleep medicine at King's College London. He is also the author of several books, including The Secret World Of Sleep: Tales of Nightmares and Neuroscience and his latest, Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human.

In this fascinating conversation, we discuss:
• The crucial distinction between chronic sleep deprivation and clinical insomnia - understanding which affects you is key to finding the right solution
• The importance of sleep quality - not just quantity - and why some people can sleep for hours, yet still feel unrested
• An incredible treatment called CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) which has an 80% success rate for insomnia
• The real impact of common lifestyle factors on sleep - like caffeine, screen time, and blue light
• The pros and cons of sleep trackers
• Practical strategies for shift workers - discover how to adapt your sleep schedule if your work includes irregular hours
• The fascinating connection between societal sleep deprivation and our collective wellbeing

With over two decades of experience running sleep disorder clinics, Guy brings clarity to the often confusing world of sleep, offering evidence-based insights and practical solutions throughout our conversation.

As he points out, our sleep needs are highly individual, so I hope this episode guides you in finding the approach that works best for you.

#feelbetterlivemore
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Show notes available at: https://drchatterjee.com/528

Find out about Guy:
https://www.guyleschziner.com/
https://x.com/guy_lesch?lang=en-GB
https://www.instagram.com/guy_lesch/

Guy’s books:
The Secret World of Sleep: Journeys Through the Nocturnal Mind US https://amzn.to/415jsju UK https://amzn.to/4hN7x0M
Seven Deadly Sins: The Biology of Being Human US https://amzn.to/43bCQho UK https://amzn.to/4icGDzq
The Man Who Tasted Words: Inside the Strange and Startling World of Our Senses US https://amzn.to/3EP6T4d UK https://amzn.to/4hQTY0e

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Episode description

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Understand paradoxical insomnia: brain can be half-awake

In paradoxical insomnia, you may feel completely awake because consciousness-related brain areas remain active while the rest of your brain is objectively asleep.

#consciousness

#sleep

Utilize CBTI for effective, drug-free insomnia treatment

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) is the gold-standard, first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, providing long-term improvement without drugs.

#insomnia

#therapy

Leverage fatigue as a tool for immune recovery

The profound fatigue you feel when sick is actively created by the brain to divert energy towards your immune system to aid recuperation.

#fatigue

#immune-system

Avoid sleep trackers if anxiety worsens sleep quality

If you are buying a sleep tracker because you are already anxious about your inability to sleep, it will likely make your sleep worse by increasing your focus and worry.

#anxiety

#sleep

Recognize REM Sleep Behavior Disorder as a Parkinson's predictor

Developing REM Sleep Behavior Disorder later in life, where you act out dreams, carries as high as a 90% risk of developing Parkinson's disease over 15 years.

#Parkinson's

#REM

Delay sleep schedule by using bright light exposure

You can intentionally delay your sleep schedule by exposing yourself to bright light from a sun lamp in the evenings, which pushes your circadian rhythm back.

#circadian

#light-therapy

Distinguish insomnia from sleep deprivation for better rest

Insomnia is the inability to sleep when you have the opportunity, whereas sleep deprivation is a lifestyle-driven issue of not allowing yourself enough time in bed to sleep.

#insomnia

#sleep

Reassess insomnia's health risks based on sleep duration

The majority of people with insomnia are not at high risk for major health consequences like cardiovascular disease because their objective total sleep time is often normal.