“The sleep people are getting in the real world predicts how long they live better than almost anything else.” According to Dr. Michael Grandner, sleep isn't just rest. It's one of the strongest predictors of how long you'll live.Yet most people fundamentally misunderstand what sleep is, why we need it, and what happens when we don't get enough of it. The consequences reach far beyond feeling tired, influencing everything from your brain function and metabolism to your immune system, long-term hea...
“The sleep people are getting in the real world predicts how long they live better than almost anything else.” According to Dr. Michael Grandner, sleep isn't just rest. It's one of the strongest predictors of how long you'll live.
Yet most people fundamentally misunderstand what sleep is, why we need it, and what happens when we don't get enough of it. The consequences reach far beyond feeling tired, influencing everything from your brain function and metabolism to your immune system, long-term health, and lifespan.
In this episode, Chris Wharton sits down with Dr. Michael Grandner, Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona and the world's most cited sleep researcher Drawing from decades of research, Dr. Grandner unpacks what sleep is actually doing inside your body, why so many people struggle with it, and how improving it may be one of the most powerful things you can do for your health, performance, and longevity.
No wellness trends. No sleep hacks. Just the science behind one of the most important—and overlooked—drivers of human health.
In the episode, you'll learn:
→ Why sleep is one of the strongest levers for longevity, performance, and disease prevention
→ Why chronic sleep loss impairs decision-making, memory, metabolism, and emotional regulation before you notice it
→ The difference between feeling tired and being objectively sleep-deprived
→ Why trying harder to fall asleep can make insomnia worse
→ How sleep apnea is often missed — especially when symptoms look like fatigue, anxiety, or depression
→ What sleep trackers and wearables can tell you, and what they often get wrong
→ Why melatonin, supplements, and sleep hygiene aren't always enough to fix a real sleep disorder
→ How light, caffeine, alcohol, temperature, screens, and bedtime routines affect sleep quality
→ Why better sleep often comes from doing less — reducing effort and getting out of your own way
Dr. Grandner has published more than 250 academic papers, chaired the American Heart Association's Sleep Science Committee, and presented to the US Congress on sleep health. This episode is for anyone who wakes up tired, struggles with insomnia, relies on sleep trackers, or wants to understand how sleep really affects longevity, recovery, and daily performance.
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Michael Grandner, PhD | University of Arizona
Michael Grandner, PhD, researches the connections between sleep and circadian health, including innovative strategies for improving sleep. The Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program and a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry with joint appointments in Medicine, Psychology, Nutritional Sciences, and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, he is the Inaugural Chair of the American Heart Association’s Sleep Science Committee and the Past President of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, as well as an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Dr. Grandner has over 250 academic journal publications, advises numerous companies, has presented to the US Congress multiple times on the topic of sleep health, and has co-authored position statements for the International Olympic Committee and the National Institutes of Health, among many others. He was recently awarded the Richard Bootzin Mid-Career Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award by the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.
Dr. Michael Grandner's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/michaelgrandner/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grandner/
Website: https://www.michaelgrandner.com/about.html
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCTET02GzjnNxSg3V157lUIw
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