Season 1, Episode 11 Guest: Dr. Meeta Singh
In this episode we explore the science and the incredible power of sleep with international authority, Dr. Meeta Singh. Dr. Singh is also a performance consultant for professional sports including Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, Pro Football Hall of Fame and many others. Tom and Meeta review the critical aspects of sleep including:
- the need for sleep,
- its impact on mental and physical performance,
- dementia, and
- the value of naps.
Key messages about the incredible power of sleep:
- Quality sleep promotes clearance of harmful toxins that build up through the day, reducing the risk for dementia.
- We can best cope with stressors when our bodies are well rested. Sleep is a reset button to help us face the stressors of the following day.
- You need 7-9 hours of sleep to function well.
- Naps can help meet the number of hours of sleep you need but it is not advisable too close to bedtime.
- When sleep deprived, caffeine can help with alertness and making decisions faster, but the quality of decisions may not improve (i.e., we may simply “make bad decisions faster”).
- You are less effective in general if you are sleep deprived.
- Less than 6 hours are likely to result in deficits in behavior.
