What Your Sleep Is Trying To Tell You: How To Fix Your Sleep Problems, Reset Your Brain & The Difference Between Fatigue and Tiredness with Guy Leschziner #528

Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Health & Fitness, Medicine, Alternative Health, Mental Health

4.8 • 10.9K Ratings

🗓️ 26 February 2025

⏱️ 109 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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. Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. This January, try FREE for 30 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Thanks to our sponsors: https://drinkag1.com/livemore https://vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://exhalecoffee.com/livemore Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/528 DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey guys, how you doing? I hope you having a good week so far. My name is Dr. Rangan Chatterjee,
0:09.0	and this is my podcast, Feel Better, Live More.
0:15.2	While some societies have historically never even had a word for insomnia.
0:22.1	Our modern world has created an epidemic of sleep problems,
0:25.8	which not only affect our creativity, empathy, appetite and moods,
0:31.7	but countless other aspects of who we are as well.
0:35.6	This week's guest is Professor Guy Leshner, a neurologist at Guy's in St. Thomas's Hospital,
0:42.1	and a professor of neurology and sleep medicine at King's College London.
0:47.2	He's also the author of several books, including The Secret World of Sleep,
0:51.6	and his very latest, Seven Dead sins, the biology of being human.
0:57.9	In our conversation, we discuss so many fascinating topics, including the crucial distinction
1:05.5	between chronic sleep deprivation and clinical insomnia. The importance of sleep quality, not just
1:13.0	quantity, and why some people can sleep for hours get still feel unrested. An incredible treatment
1:20.7	called CBTI, which has an 80% success rate for insomnia. The real impact of common lifestyle factors on our sleep,
1:30.3	like caffeine, screen time and blue light, the pros and cons of sleep trackers, practical strategies
1:37.5	for shift workers, and the fascinating connection between societal sleep deprivation
1:43.5	and our collective well-being.
1:46.0	With over two decades of clinical experience, Guy brings clarity to the often confusing world asleep.
1:55.0	And as he points out, our sleep needs are highly individual.
2:00.0	So, as with everything I speak about on this podcast,
2:03.6	it's important that we all find the right approach for us.
2:13.6	In the secret water sleep, towards the end, you say that when you look at your patients and your daughter, it's obvious why we think of wake and sleep as entirely different states of existence with clear borders, a reinforced concrete barrier, the Berlin Wall separating the east of sleep from the west of Wake.
	...

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