“Sleep is the most effective tool in your arsenal to achieve optimal health, performance, and recovery,” Sahil Bloom writes in his book The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life.

In the past two weeks, we’ve explored Sahil’s strategies for optimizing Physical Wealth, focusing on Movement, Nutrition, and Recovery.

When it comes to the third pillar, recovery, the most important area to … continue reading

1: “Sleep and physical exertion have a bidirectional relationship,” writes Dr. Matthew Walker in Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. 

“Many of us know of the deep, sound sleep we often experience after sustained physical activity,” he notes, “such as a daylong hike, an extended bike ride, or even an exhausting day of working in the garden.”

The research shows that exercise increases sleep time … continue reading

1: To perform well on tests, many students pull all-nighters to maximize their study time.

Not smart, writes Dr. Matthew Walker, a renowned sleep expert and author of Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.

In 2006, he invited students to participate in an MRI study to analyze the impact of sleep on the ability to learn and retain information. 

He divided the participants into … continue reading

1: The two most feared diseases in the modern world are dementia and cancer. “Both are related to inadequate sleep,” writes Matthew Walker in Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.  

So far this week, we’ve looked at the connection between a lack of sleep and auto fatalities as well as anger and hostility. Today we look at the link between dementia and sleep. … continue reading

1: How many times have we heard or said those unfortunate words? It might be the unfolding tragedy when “a soldier irrationally responds to a provocative civilian, a physician to an entitled patient, or a parent to a misbehaving child,” writes Matthew Walker in Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.

All too often, regret is the emotion that follows.

And many times, it is tired, … continue reading

More than 2 million people will fall asleep this week in the United States while driving their motor vehicle, writes Matthew Walker in Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.  

“Drowsy driving is as problematic as drunk driving,” he observes. “Drunk drivers are often late in braking, and late in making evasive maneuvers. But when you fall asleep, or have a microsleep, you stop … continue reading

Our ability to concentrate is directly impacted by even the smallest amount of sleep deprivation, Matthew Walker observes in his powerful book, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.

“The deadly societal consequences of these concentration failures play out most obviously and fatally in the form of drowsy driving,” he writes.

Car collisions are one of the leading causes of death in most first-world nations. In … continue reading

1: Dr. Matthew Walker had just finished delivering a public lecture on sleep when a distinguished-looking gentleman dressed in a tweed suit jacket approached the podium.   

“As a pianist,” he said, “I have an experience that seems far too frequent to be chance.  I will be practicing a particular piece, even late into the evening, and I cannot seem to master it.  Often, I make the same mistake at the … continue reading

1: “Scientists have discovered a revolutionary new treatment that makes you live longer. It enhances your memory and makes you more creative. It makes you look more attractive. It keeps you slim and lowers food cravings. It protects you from cancer and dementia. It wards off colds and the flu. It lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke, not to mention diabetes. You’ll even feel happier, less depressed, and … continue reading