Ideas change everything

How sleep affects what (and how much) you eat

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Matt Walker |

Sleeping with Science

• December 2021

Did you know that not getting enough sleep can actually make you hungrier? According to sleep scientist Matt Walker, the relationship between what you eat and your sleep is a two-way street. Here's why understanding it can help improve your overall health.

Did you know that not getting enough sleep can actually make you hungrier? According to sleep scientist Matt Walker, the relationship between what you eat and your sleep is a two-way street. Here's why understanding it can help improve your overall health.

About the speaker

Sleep scientist, professor, author

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Matt Walker is a brain scientist trying to understand why we sleep.

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Sleeping with Science

Sleep — we spend one-third of our lives doing it, but what exactly do we get out of it? And how can we do it better? In this TED series, sleep scientist Matt Walker uncovers the facts and secrets behind our nightly slumber.

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Why We Sleep

Why We Sleep explains how caffeine and alcohol affect your sleep. What really happens during dreaming? Why do our sleep patterns change across a lifetime? How do sleeping pills affect us and can they do long-term damage? The book goes on to describe how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood and energy levels; slow the effects of aging while lowering the risk of Alzheimer's, obesity and diabetes; enhance the education and lifespan of our children; and boost the efficiency, success and productivity of our businesses.