Welcome back to the WellyWalk-- this is the third and final episode in our sleep odyssey! Yay! We did it.

In the first episode (S1E10 Got Sleep?), we explored sleep itself; what is it and why we should care. Answer: because it's the bedrock of our health and it effects absolutely everything.

Then, in part 2 (S1E11 An Orthosomniac in the Garden) we explored how our behaviours during the day affect our ability to sleep at night. This led us into key sleep hygiene tools.

This final episode will be a delightful potpourri of the other tidbits I felt you just must know, including:

• more powerful sleep hygiene tools
• An exploration of naps, and how to make them super
• the wonder of dreams and lucid dreaming
• school start times and what they are doing to our teens
• perimenopause/menopause and what it does to sleep
• and should we be supplementing for sleep?

All this and more!

As with the previous episodes on sleep, I would like to give thanks and praise to Matthew Walker and Andrew Huberman for all their work in educating me and the public at large about the importance and nuances of sleep.

Enjoy and I hope you will share this three part series (S1E10/S1E11/S1E13) with anyone you know dealing with sleep issues or anyone who wants to improve their health and happiness and motivation and focus and performance and intelligence and metabolism...I could go on...

And stay tuned-- the next episode brings us back into the fray of my little old midlife crisis and to my pantheon of psychopomps, showing us the way towards Welly.

Please find below some references for this episode:

The Matthew Walker Podcast:

• Insomnia v Exercise: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/122-exercise-vs-insomnia/id1578319619?i=1000746663766
• Sleep and Exercise pt 1: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/39-sleep-and-exercise-pt-1/id1578319619?i=1000594669305
• Sleep and Exercise pt 2: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/40-sleep-and-exercise-pt-2/id1578319619?i=1000597256575
• Sleep and Exercise pt 3: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/41-sleep-and-exercise-pt-3/id1578319619?i=1000599324269

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

How is January going for you all? I've had a bit of a January surprise, hiccup, an unexpected event, and I want to fill you in with a little boob report but also with a January Wellness Checkin.

We'll discuss some tools that have been helping me combat the highs and lows (mostly lows, let's be honest) of this poor down and out month. Can we make January sparkle like the star it is? Perspective is our friend.

Hello all-- this is Part 2 of my triptych on sleep and sleep hygiene:

Last episode we discussed why we should care about sleep (hint: it is the bedrock of your health), what is actually happening in the brain during sleep (the cycles & stages of sleep), and how do we know if our sleep is good or bad (QQRT).

In this episode, we will delve into the mysteries of Sleep Hygiene, starting with the Big Picture of 24 hours and the forces at work, and then unpacking Matthew Walker's top 5 Sleep Hygiene Tools/Edicts/Protocols.

But...

***Beware the orthosomniac, my son!***

The data that bites

The hours that tick

...How do we walk the fine line of tending to our sleep whilst avoiding the trappings of sleep anxiety?

As with the last episode, I have learned most all of this from my psychopomps of sleep Matthew Walker and Andrew Huberman. Many many thanks given to them for the efforts to inform the public of the importance and majesty of sleep.

Here is my works cited for your geeking pleasure. If you have a particular thing you'd like explained more, you might find the answers here:

Matthew Walker's book, Why We Sleep

The Matthew Walker Podcast

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

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee Podcast, Feel Better, Live More: ep 250 Why Sleep is the Most Important Pillar of Health with Professor Matthew Walker

Nature Mental Health Study (2023): This large-scale study, which included data from over 85,000 participants in the UK Biobank, found a strong correlation between light exposure patterns and mental health outcomes.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-023-00135-8

And if you are enjoying the podcast, please do like, follow, subscribe, share, drop a review. It helps me to grow and I love to hear from you in the comments!

xJenny

This is the first in a two part series, discussing something I am absolutely obsessed with. The most powerful tool for performance; the most potent medicine for your health. You want to learn better, be more creative, enhance your spiritual growth?

GOT SLEEP?

Sleep is what you need.

In this first episode, I will introduce you to my psychopomps of sleep, and we discuss why we sleep in a nutshell, the architecture of your sleep, and how to know if you are actually getting what scientists consider good sleep.

In episode two, we'll get into the nitty gritty of what people call "sleep hygiene" and how the choices you make from the moment you wake up effect your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and get the best quality sleep possible. All while hopefully avoiding sleep anxiety.

I hope you enjoy this little primer on sleep, and if you want to geek further (like me) here are the podcasts and books I've enjoyed and might be referencing:

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

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee Podcast, Feel Better, Live More: ep 250 Why Sleep is the Most Important Pillar of Health with Professor Matthew Walker

And the Morningness Eveningness Questionaire (MEQ), which you can just google to find many versions but here is one: https://qxmd.com/calculate/calculator_829/morningness-eveningness-questionnaire-meq

In this episode we travel back to October 2024, to a time of giddiness, desperation and secrets.

We meet one of the my favouritest psychopomps, Dr K, and discuss what he has to say about modern love and the physicality of emotions.

I give you a little crash course on dopamine, and then finally, as promised, I reveal the superpower I've been honing this last year; the thing you need to break a habit, build a habit, and/or manifest your dreams.

Enjoy!

Dr K: Healthy Gamer

Dr K Diary of a CEO episode

NPR article: Mapping Emotions On The Body: Love Makes Us Warm All Over

Healthy Minds Meditation App

Sarah Davis' SubStack: Finding What's True

We also mention: Dr Tara Swart and her book the Source, Julia Cameron and her book The Artist's Way, TJ Power and his book The DOSE Effect, and David Epstein

Andrew Huberman has some good podcast episodes on Dopamine, let google be your guide.

This is a check in, a quick Hej and a hejdå, to let you know where I've been the last three months, all the challenges but also the insights gained when the going gets rougher.

We mention

• TJ Power and his book The Dose Effect
• Julia Cameron and her book The Artist's Way
• Ethan Kross and his book Chatter
• Kate Bradley @nurtikatecooks

Stay tuned to the next episode, in which we discuss so so much good stuff including:

• wisdom from my psychopomp Dr K about why we aren't falling in love and the physicality of our emotions
• what the what is Dopamine and Dopaminergic
• and a superpower you already have in your possession, under your nose, ready to help you accomplish what every it is you really want in life.

I'll be back soon- watch this space!

In this episode we return to the wisdom of David Epstein and his book Range, connecting dots with Dr Tara and her book The Source, on the science of manifestation, but also with the work in The Artist's Way.

We talk about how to learn better and how to find your 'match fit'. Could this be another clue to unearthing the mystical idea of Purpose?

And how do I write a novel when Bonkersville is coming full force. The answer: understanding the nature of wicked learning and the wicked wicked world.

In this episode, I sail away from Sardinia in a new and promising direction. But can this enterprise survive the malstrom that awaits it back home?

We meet a new Psychopomp, David Epstein, learning how we can focus better.

We talk about the wonder of flow state and what is happening to our brain during it.

Finally, what exactly is a virtue trap masochist? It could be you, and you and you...