The science of sleep

We are facing a sleep crisis with an estimated 40 per cent of us waking up unrefreshed. We chat to renowned scientist Dr Michael Mosley about the research-backed secrets that could help you bounce out of bed instead.

- EVA-MARIA BOBBERT

Given he once had a kip in a telephone kiosk when he missed the last train, Dr Michael Mosley seems an unlikely insomnia candidate. But years later that natural ability to nod off has become a distant memory for the British medical journalist. His obsession to find an answer to his sleep woes prompted him to sign up for a cutting edge trial with the Flinders University Sleep Institute, an experience that was captured in a three-part series, Australia's Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley. What he discovered was life changing. Increasing evidence shows a lack of sleep can affect everything from your waistline to mental health and, while it's important to understand the risks, Dr Mosley's focus is "on the practical stuff that actually works because scaring people just makes them worry. And adding to their list of worries might make them sleep less."

Q: Is it our crazy thoughts keeping us awake?

If you look at Google trends, there's a distinct spike at 3am when people are looking up "insomniac". Crazy thoughts is one of the reasons you might be awake early in the morning, and slow breathing is a way around that. I do the 4:2:4 technique where I breath in for four seconds, hold for two, and breathe out for four and it works for me. Essentially what you are doing is activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which is like the brake in your system. Slow, deep breathing slows the heart and, along with a drop in core temperature, that triggers sleep.

Q: What if getting to sleep is the problem?