Welcome back to the WellyWalk — this is the third and final episode in our little sleep odyssey. We made it!

In Part 1 (Got Sleep?) we explored what sleep actually is and why it matters so much — because, quite simply, sleep is the bedrock of our health and affects almost everything.

In Part 2 (An Orthosomniac in the Garden) we looked at how our behaviours during the day shape our ability to sleep at night, and we explored some of the key tools of sleep hygiene.

In this final episode we gather up the remaining pieces of the puzzle — a bit of a delightful sleep potpourri — including:

• a few more powerful sleep hygiene tools
• the science (and art) of napping
• dreams and lucid dreaming
• school start times and what they may be doing to our teenagers
• sleep during perimenopause and menopause, and whether supplements can help

As with the previous episodes, enormous thanks go to my psychopomps of sleep — Matthew Walker and Andrew Huberman — whose work has done so much to educate the public about the beauty, importance, and complexity of sleep.

If you know someone struggling with sleep — or someone who wants to improve their health, focus, creativity, and general wellbeing — feel free to share this three-part series with them.

And stay tuned: the next episode brings us back into the fray of my ongoing midlife adventure and to the next members of my pantheon of psychopomps guiding the way toward Welly.

References:

The Matthew Walker Podcast:

• Insomnia v Exercise:
• Sleep and Exercise pt 1, 2, &3

HRT reality v fears https://peterattiamd.com/rachelrubin/

Yoga Nidra with Swami Janakananda: https://open.spotify.com/track/7jQmbTq9cPTo5ZBsRneoXB?si=717380c41d27418a

Yoga Nidra with Ally: https://allyboothroyd.com/30-minute-yoga-nidra-for-deep-relaxation/

Non Sleep Deep Rest with Andrew Huberman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKGrmY8OSHM

James Nestor's book Breath, in which you can learn about mouth taping and sleep apnea (also the power of breathwork)

https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath-book

Matthew Walker's book, Why We Sleep

Andrew Huberman, Huberman Lab Podcast:

• Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing
• Essentials: Master Your Sleep & Be More Alert When Awake
• Matt Walker, The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep | Huberman Lab Essentials
• Guest Series | Dr. Matt Walker: The Biology of Sleep & Your Unique Sleep Needs
• Guest Series | Dr. Matthew Walker: Protocols to Improve Your Sleep
• Guest Series | Dr. Matt Walker: How to Structure Your Sleep, Use Naps & Time Caffeine
• Guest Series | Dr. Matt Walker: Using Sleep to Improve Learning, Creativity & Memory
• Guest Series | Dr. Matt Walker: Improve Sleep to Boost Mood & Emotional Regulation
• Guest Series | Dr. Matt Walker: The Science of Dreams, Nightmares & Lucid Dreaming
• Using Red Light to Improve Metabolism & the Harmful Effects of LEDs| Dr Glen Jeffrey PhD