Sleep affects our health and daily life, and stress often harms sleep. A doctor trained in sleep medicine studied sleep since an undergraduate course called "Sleep and Dreams."
She now leads teaching and clinical work at a university and teaches a popular course called "Mystery of Sleep." She says sleep has basic jobs: it restores the body, helps emotions, and supports memory. Stress can interrupt these jobs and make sleep worse. She gives simple, practical tips to help people sleep better and break the sleep-stress cycle.
Difficult words
- stress — strong mental or physical pressure or worry
- undergraduate — student who studies for first university degree
- clinical — connected with medical care and doctors
- restore — return something to its normal staterestores
- interrupt — stop an activity for a short time
- cycle — series of events that happen again
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think stress affects your sleep? Why or why not?
- What simple thing could help you sleep better tonight?
- Would you take a course about sleep and dreams? Why?
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