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Podcast Episode

Is Your Home Keeping You Awake? Professor Russell Foster Rethinks the Rules of Sleep

Homing··14 September 2026·59 min

About this episode

We spend around a third of our lives asleep, yet for so many of us, getting a good night’s sleep can feel like a real struggle. Could our homes hold some of the answers to sleeping better?In this conversation, leading sleep expert and Oxford Professor of Circadian Neuroscience Russell Foster rethinks the rules of sleep and explores how we can create a home environment that supports our natural rhythms. We discuss why getting outside in the morning is one of the best things we can do for sleep, how to navigate a partner's different sleeping habits and why sleep trackers often do more harm than good.But perhaps the most reassuring idea of all is that we need to stop trying so hard. As Russell points out, the more we worry about sleep, the more elusive it can become. Sometimes the best thing we can do is create the right conditions and let it take care of itself. Please note: the views expressed in this episode are those of the guest and are not intended as medical advice.To hear more from us: Patreon: Watch exclusive home tours, HomingWithMattYouTube: Subscribe to our channel, Homing with MattInstagram: Follow for updates and announcements, @homingwithmattContact: Email us at hello@mattgibberd.com Matt Gibberd’s book, A Modern Way to Live, is available here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/320176/a-modern-way-to-live-by-gibberd-matt/9780241480496 Music by @simeonwalkermusicIdentity & design by @lena.winkler.creative.officeProduced by @podshoponline ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★