Series 2 - Episode 11 - Professor Vin Walsh – The Power of Sleep

It was amazing to have the opportunity to interview Vin Walsh, a Professor of Human Brain Research and Royal Society Industry Research Fellow at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL. I could have quite easily chatted with him for hours.

He has published over 300 scientific articles, several books and specialises in the how the brain achieves all the things we take for granted: How do we see? How do we remember? How do we learn? How do we read? How do we count? How do we know how long something takes?

In this episode we hear from Vin on The Power of Sleep, the primary functions of sleep and why it is so crucial for brain health. Vin explains the different stages of sleep and the impact on cognitive processes such as memory consolidation, learning, and problem-solving.

We also covered the neurological mechanisms that regulate our sleep-wake cycle and how do they interact with external factors like light and temperature. I asked the question, why do humans and other animals need sleep and what happens to the brain if we don't get enough sleep?

We also looked at how napping fits into the overall picture of sleep, can short naps compensate for lost night time sleep, and how do they affect brain function?

Vin also gives his 4.5 golden rules of improving your sleep opportunity.