Episode 4: Vlad Vyazovskiy - Local sleep, circadian rhythms and torpor

In this episode we examine how sleep differs between species to get some clues about  what sleep actually is as a phenomenon. How have marine animals solved the problem of sleeping when they regularly need to come up for air? And how do amphibians adapt their sleep architecture from life at sea to life on the land? What can mice running on their wheels tell us about what may be happening in our brains when we're performing tasks on autopilot? How do states like hibernation or torpor relate to sleep? Are sleep stages really as homogeneous as we like to think? Might even plants show some ability to learn connected to their circadian rhythms? We will find out the answers to all of these questions and more in conversation with Dr Vlad Vyazovskiy.If you'd like to find out more about Dr Vyazovskiy's work you can find his Oxford University profile and a link to Oxford's Sleep & Circadian Neuroscience Institute below.Vlad recommends the following articles if you'd like to learn more about hibernation, wheel running, or local sleep:https://theconversation.com/could-humans-hibernate-54519https://theconversation.com/why-running-could-keep-you-awake-at-night-69320https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sleeping-while-awake/GlossaryCrepuscular = active during twilightDiurnal = Active during the dayDown state = silent/non-firing period of a neuronHomeothermic = animals that maintain a stable body temperatureLTP = Long Term Potentiation, a long-lasting strengthening of synaptic connectionsPhotoperiod = day lengthSleep homeostasis = the pressure to sleep that builds up with time awake. It is linked to the accumulation of adenosine as we break down ATP to provide energy for various activities.Check out our NaPS website to find out more about the podcast, our research and events. This recording is the property of the Sleep Science Podcast and not for resale.