In this episode of Science & Chill, I speak with three researchers from Harvard University -- Dr. Dragana Rogulja, Dr. Alexandra Vaccaro, and Dr. Yosef Kaplan Dor -- on the evolutionary origins of sleep, what the function of sleep is, and how a lack of sleep can be fatal (at least in flies and mice). 

Their lab just published a study showing that sleep deprivation causes flies and mice to die after about 5-10 days, and provides a mechanism as to how this happens (hint...it involves the gut!). 

I was excited to have this conversation and learned so much, and I know you will too.

Relevant links:

Rogulja lab website

Link to study: "Sleep loss can cause death through accumulation of reactive oxygen species in the gut"

Study free full text

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