#47–Matt Walker, Ph.D. on Sleep (Part 1 of 3): Dangers of poor sleep, dementia risk, mental health..

Full title: #47 – Matthew Walker, Ph.D., on sleep – Part I of III: Dangers of poor sleep, Alzheimer’s risk, mental health, memory consolidation, and more

Original release date: 4/1/19

In part 1 of this 3 part series, Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience at UC Berkeley and expert on sleep, describes the different stages, and cycles, of sleep, including what he calls the 4 pillars of sleep, and how they contribute to memory consolidation and numerous important pathways to mental health. We also get into the dangers of chronic sleep deprivation, such as the development of dementia, and the more acute dangers of sleep deprivation like fatal car crashes which are most often caused by drowsy driving. We also discuss the different and important roles of REM vs. non-REM sleep, and the impact that bad sleep habits can have specifically on those sleep stages.

We discuss:
-Matthew’s background and interest in sleep [5:00];
-Sleep and Alzheimer’s disease, and the 4 pillars of sleep [11:15];
-Stages of sleep, sleep cycles, and brainwaves [40:15];
-Memory and sleep, and the risk of insufficient REM sleep [54:45];
-Evolutionary reasons to sleep [1:01:00];
-The early riser vs. the night owl, and tips for overcoming jet lag [1:09:15];
-Is there one type or stage of sleep that is most important? [1:16:30];
-The dangers of drowsy driving [1:25:45];
-The timeliness of Matthew’s book, and how the conversation of sleep has changed over the past several years [1:34:15]; and
-More.

About:
The Peter Attia Drive is a weekly, ultra-deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing health, longevity, critical thinking…and a few other things. With over 10 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including fasting, ketosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.

Peter is the founder of Attia Medical, PC, a medical practice with offices in San Diego and New York City, focusing on the applied science of longevity. The practice applies nutritional biochemistry, exercise physiology, sleep physiology, techniques to increase distress tolerance, lipidology, pharmacology, and four-system endocrinology to increase lifespan (delaying the onset of chronic disease), while simultaneously improving healthspan (quality of life).

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[patricksandridge]

I say sleep is top of the list on what people are lacking in

[Vospi]

I'm so happy that they are here now, Peter. Extremely happy. And they are easier to link to now.

Thanks a ton for them! :)

[edwigcarol]

48:00 Mr Walker is a poet.. this mantra chant in deep sleep 3 and 4... I know what i will imagine tonight to dive.. neurons-sirens chanting mantras in slow huge waves... 🧜
Chhhh... 🤫 the musical brain is sleeping.. inspiring...
Deep sleep is a long slow wave to transfer information on longer distances ..
Stage 3-4 save button for Memory 1st half of the night but: stage 2 with the spindles is needed to prepare for the laydown of new memories on the following day.. stage 2 happens together with Rem in the 2nd half of the night
REM sleep is the emotional first aid. mental balance... Emotional recalibration.. Frontal cortex top down on amygdala.. Rem is evolutionary more recent than non rem (avian, mammals), its deprivation sooner fatal. Compare to anaerobic life and aerobic life: deprivation of O2 kills aerobic life as deprivation of rem kills life that has a cortex.

[colinfarrell]

Fantastic discussion /presentation. Thank you so much. I found the Ronald Reagan & Mgt Thatcher anecdotes very thought provoking

[jngfitness]

I was given his book as a gift. Can’t wait to read it… 😎🤙🏽

[aarchas]

Thanks for bringing these to youtube! Much easier to follow.

[helenmary]

We can learn so much more quickly with youtube!

[betseyspencer]

How many people die from medical errors due to physician's lack of sleep, from what is essentially a hazing ritual in med school?

[fhowland]

Was hoping they’d discuss sleep apnea and how a deviated septum can affect it

[GregMeadMaker]

I would like to see an accounting of endogenous and exogenous melatonin levels and related sleep hygiene to circadian disruption via blue light at night.

[melodym]

Please help me sleep. I'm trying so hard to figure out my insomnia, trying everything. Some psychiatrists are cold, they'll tell you we only need four or five hours, although i haven't had a consistent 5 hours in years. Went through a ton of really bad things over the ladt several years, including head sounds and almost dying in my own conso in Florida, which i still can't come to terms with. Had a ton of childhood trauma, and raped in my mid twenties in London, but always pushed that all aside, and somehow functioned. Had a fantastic psychiatrist and therapist, and MD in Boston, but I'm truly at wits end. Have to train someone this morning at 6am, so I'm giving up on trying to sleep tonight. Working out for an hour every day is the only thing balancing me, or keeping me going, aside from being sober and eating healhy, but i NEED sleep. :(

[bennguyen]

Alexey Guzey has a great blog post called "Matthew Walker's 'Why We Sleep' Is Riddled with Scientific and Factual Errors", where he suggests the claims in the book are not so scientifically backed!

[EncoreCredit]

First, very informative. Sorry if I missed it, but didn't notice any reference about sleep requirements at the DNA level, I've been reading about it, neuropeptide S receptor 1 (NPSR1) and maybe some other factor. Is this relevant or should be ignored?

[bradfry]

Peter should probably have words to Jocko Willink about this

[codingnoob]

Why does the time you sleep matter ? If I sleep from 3am-12, why would that be worse than 9pm-6am.
Even if it’s 3am my time.. it may be 9pm some place else in the world.
I don’t understand that part. It’s not like my body knows whether I’m in Europe or US.
This is assuming I blackout my windows.