Well, sleep science is an exploding space with research labs around the world exploring everything from the link between sleep and degenerative brain disease to red light and endogenous melatonin.
There seems to be a new piece of sleep research for me to explore and unpack each week.
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Whilst most sleep research is quality peer-reviewed work from across the globe (with Australian universities leading the charge), there’s some not so great research using very small sample sizes, not-so rigorous controls, and without peer-review. To add to the mix are questionable interpretations of research papers by others who then go on to publish misleading articles and posts… many sleep myths are born in this environment.
Another source of myth-making is when a new research paper is released that debunks or advances a previous research paper, yet online sources of sleep information aren’t updated to represent the new findings. So, the old truths continue to circulate and advice becomes conflicted and confusing for everyone.
The myth-creating source that annoys me the most 😠 is when an opinion or idea on something becomes a ‘popular opinion’ for all the wrong reasons… someone of influence, notoriety or fame says “it’s so”.
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So, as another new sleep myth is born... my phone will be ringing with another request to join Karl and Sarah on The Today Show (#notcomplaining).
