Wednesday May 28, 2025

E14 Understanding the Basics of Sleep: What Everyone Should Know about Sleep Needs and Stages

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Stuart J. McCarter, M.D., Sleep and Cognitive/Behavioral Neurologist | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

In the past, we’ve discussed the circadian rhythm and how it sets your clock for the day. Both when you are awake, and when you are asleep. Today, we are going to focus in on what happens to us when we go to sleep. We all know that for sleep to be truly restorative, we need a certain amount of it, and that sleep needs to be high quality. So, it’s a problem that concerns both quality and quantity. But if you want to optimize the quality and quantity of your sleep, you need to start by understanding what sleep is and what happens to our bodies while we are snoozing. This knowledge is foundational to you becoming the best sleeper you can be. Our guest this week is Dr. Stuart McCarter, who is a Neurologist and Sleep Expert from the Mayo Clinic.

The three big questions Dr. McCarter is going to answer for us this week are:

1. What is sleep and why is it so important?

2. What are the different stages of sleep and their functions?

3. How can I tell how if I am getting enough high-quality sleep?

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:
Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better
Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random)
Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes
Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions in the PDF for each episode, and feel free to add your own!
Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action!

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

Dr. McCarter describes sleep as the body's way to "recharge its battery" and calls it the "best performance enhancer." In what specific areas of your life do you notice performing better when you get sufficient, high-quality sleep?
The podcast details the significant short-term and long-term consequences of insufficient sleep, ranging from impaired judgment to increased risk of chronic diseases. Which of these consequences do you find most concerning? How might this awareness motivate you to prioritize your sleep more effectively?
The different stages of sleep (non-REM 1, 2, 3, and REM) each have unique functions. Which sleep stage's function (e.g., deep sleep for physical recovery, REM for emotional processing) do you feel is most crucial for your personal well-being, and why?
Dr. McCarter cautions against over-reliance on sleep trackers, noting they can sometimes cause "orthosomnia" (sleep-related anxiety). How do you currently assess your sleep quality? How do you balance subjective feelings and objective data from wearables, if you use them?
The top tips for improving sleep quality include: 1) a consistent schedule, 2) regular exercise, 3) strategic light exposure, and 4) mindful substance use. Which of these tips do you find most challenging to implement? What is one small, actionable step you could take this week to address it?
As discussed in this episode, alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it can actually worsen sleep quality. How does this information influence your choices regarding alcohol, especially in relation to your sleep goals?
Dr. McCarter mentions that sleep needs change with age; older individuals often experience less deep sleep and more fragmented sleep. How does this understanding of age-related sleep changes influence your expectations for your own sleep as you get older? How does this influence your empathy for older individuals' sleep patterns?
The challenge encourages listeners to pick one sleep improvement tip and commit to it for a week. Which tip do you choose? What specific changes do you hope to observe in your energy, mood, or overall well-being?

Connect with us! Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize

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Email: optimize@mayo.edu