Module 8 · Body

Sleep & recovery

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How sleep works, what helps it, and what to do when it doesn’t come.

By the end of this world

You will understand your body clock and the handful of habits that make the biggest difference to sleep — and know when a sleep problem needs a professional.

How sleep works

• Why sleep matters — Sleep is when your body and brain repair, sort and reset. Almost everything else rests on it. (6 min · Beginner)
• How much sleep do you need? — The guidelines, the “exactly eight hours” myth, and how to tell what is enough for you. (6 min · Beginner)
• Your body clock and morning light — A daily rhythm runs your sleepiness and alertness — and light is what sets it. (7 min · Beginner)
• Sleep, mood and concentration — Why a bad night shows up in your temper, your focus and your food choices. (6 min · Beginner)

Building better nights

• A steady sleep schedule — Going to bed and getting up at similar times is one of the strongest things you can do for sleep. (6 min · Beginner)
• Your sleep environment — Dark, cool, quiet and used for sleep — small changes to the room that add up. (6 min · Beginner)
• An evening wind-down — A short, repeated routine that tells your body the day is over. (6 min · Beginner)
• Caffeine, alcohol and sleep — Caffeine lingers for hours; alcohol helps you fall asleep and then disturbs the rest of the night. (6 min · Beginner)
• Screens before bed — It is less about blue light than you’ve heard, and more about what the screen keeps you doing. (6 min · Beginner)
• Exercise and sleep — Moving in the day tends to deepen sleep at night. What the timing does and doesn’t matter for. (5 min · Beginner)

When sleep goes wrong

• When your mind won’t switch off — Stress and sleep feed each other. Ways to put the day down before bed. (7 min · Practising)
• When you can’t sleep — Lying in bed trying harder makes it worse. What sleep specialists suggest instead. (7 min · Practising)
• Sleep debt and naps — What a run of short nights does, whether the weekend can repay it, and when naps help. (6 min · Practising)
• When sleep problems need a professional — Snoring, gasping, weeks of insomnia or exhausting days — signs to get checked. (6 min · Beginner)

Rest and recovery

• Rest is not laziness — Recovery is part of performance, not a reward for it. Kinds of rest, and why guilt about it backfires. (6 min · Beginner)