Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
Mind & Matter
Sleep Duration, Sleep Timing & Short-Sleepers | Ying-Hui Fu | 239
The genetics of sleep duration and sleep timing.
Episode Summary: Dr. Ying-Hui Fu discusses her research on the genetics of sleep, focusing on natural short sleepers who thrive on 4-6 hours of sleep and the heritability of sleep traits like duration and timing. She explores how sleep efficiency, rather than just duration, may explain why some need less sleep without health deficits, and delves into the molecular and circadian mechanisms regulating sleep.
About the guest: Ying-Hui Fu, PhD is a neuroscientist and professor at UCSF, where her lab studies the genetics of human sleep behaviors, particularly sleep duration and schedule.
Discussion Points:
- Sleep Traits Are Genetic: Sleep duration (how long you sleep) and sleep schedule (when you sleep) are partially heritable, with most people needing 7-9 hours, while rare natural short sleepers thrive on 4-6 hours.
- Natural Short Sleepers: These individuals fall asleep quickly, have high sleep efficiency, and live healthy, active lives without deficits, possibly due to faster toxin clearance and repair during sleep.
- Sleep Efficiency Matters: Short sleepers may complete restorative sleep processes (e.g., clearing toxins, repairing damage) more efficiently, allowing them to need less sleep.
- Circadian & Entrainment Pathways: Sleep timing is regulated by a molecular clock and environmental cues like light, with mutations in entrainment pathways causing extreme schedules (e.g., early bedtime or night owl tendencies).
- Modern Lifestyle Harms Sleep: Stimuli like blue light and tense media disrupt sleep patterns, leading to widespread sleep deprivation and health risks.
- Shift Work Risks: Shift workers face higher risks of diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration due to disrupted sleep cycles, though genetic background influences susceptibility.
- Finding Your Sleep Rhythm: A two-week vacation without stimulants or artificial light can help determine your natural sleep schedule and duration.
- Sleep’s Health Impact: Poor sleep is a major factor in aging and diseases like Alzheimer’s, making it as critical as diet and exercise for health.
Related episode:
- M&M 237: Circadian Biology: Genetics, Behavior, Metabolism, Light, Oxygen
All episodes, show notes, transcripts, and more at the M&M Substack
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