Wednesday Headlines: Multiple states on high alert amid forecasts not seen since Black Summer bushfires, Venezuelan opposition leader vows to return as the country cracks down on Maduro critics, Swiss ski bar not inspected for five years before deadly fire, and Tomorrowland's inching a little closer to Australia.

Deep Dive: January is the rude awakening after the break - routines and alarms return, and exhaustion sets in fast. 

Sleep is often the missing link, with the way we treat it affecting our energy levels, mood, and ability to retain information.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with neuroscience expert and host of Do You F*cking Mind, Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa, about what actually happens in the brain during sleep, why falling asleep can feel so hard and how small changes can reset your energy in 2026. 

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