Sleep On

Record-breaking adventurer, explorer and keynote speaker Darren Edwards joins Dr. Sophie Bostock to uncover an often overlooked part of the journey: sleep. After a climbing accident left him paralysed from the chest down, Darren transformed adversity into a platform for pioneering expeditions, leadership and resilience. 

In this episode, Darren discusses how major physical trauma, intense rehabilitation, and life-on-the-edge challenges have shaped his relationship with rest. He reveals how recovery, expedition planning, mental strength and discipline all intersect with sleep, from hospital nights to sleep-deprived gear shifts in extreme environments and back to everyday rest at home.

He shares raw reflections and practical strategies for how to reclaim rest when your body and mind refuse to switch off, how sleep becomes a vital tool in rebuilding a life, and how resilience isn’t just about doing more, it’s about recovering better.

Find out more about Darren and his work at: https://darren-edwards.com 

Sleep On Series 4 is brought to you by the Sleep Charity and sponsored by Nytol.

Dr Naomi Potter, founder and clinical lead of Menopause Care Ltd and British Menopause Society–accredited menopause specialist, joins Dr Sophie Bostock to unpack how menopause, hormonal shifts, and sleep are deeply intertwined. 

 

With 16 years as an NHS GP before specialising entirely in menopause care, Naomi brings both clinical rigour and real-life empathy to the conversation. She is the co-author of Menopausing, a Sunday Times No.1 bestseller, and is widely known for her ability to translate complex medical science into practical, evidence-based advice for women at all stages of midlife.

 

In this episode, Naomi explores how fluctuating hormones during perimenopause and menopause can disrupt sleep, and shares lifestyle and behavioural strategies to help protect rest through midlife transitions.

 

Find out more about Dr Naomi Potter and her work at Menopause Care here: https://www.menopausecare.co.uk/ 

Sleep On Series 4 is brought to you by The Sleep Charity and sponsored by Issviva Menopause.

Mercury Prize–nominated musician, DJ, producer, and bandleader Emma-Jean Thackray joins Dr. Sophie Bostock to explore sleep from the perspective of a life lived on the road, under stage lights, and in constant creation through a neurodivergent lens.

As one of the UK’s most exciting experimental artists, blending jazz, electronica, and club culture, Emma-Jean brings a distinctive perspective on how sleep affects emotional regulation, creativity, and mental health. Years of touring, navigating time-zone shifts, post-show adrenaline crashes, and late-night bursts of inspiration have given her firsthand insight into how rest and recovery shape both wellbeing and artistic output.

In this episode, she reflects on how her career, ADHD, autism, and OCD influence her nights, sharing candid experiences and practical strategies for finding rest in a high-energy, creative life. We even have a sneak peak into her Mercury award nominated album ‘Weirdo’.

Find out more about Emma-Jean and her work at: https://www.emmajeanthackray.com

Sleep On Series 4 is brought to you by the Sleep Charity and sponsored by Nytol.

Dr. Aditi Desai, President of the British Society of Dental Sleep Medicine, joins Dr. Sophie Bostock to demystify what sleep apnoea really is — especially the role dentists can play in diagnosing and treating it. 

Dr. Desai is an experienced dental surgeon who specialises in dental sleep medicine, treating sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), snoring, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and sleep bruxism. She leads Global Sleep Solutions, works with a multidisciplinary medical team in London (including at London Bridge Hospital, The Shard, Royal Brompton & Harefield, and Wimpole Street), and lectures nationally and internationally on dental sleep medicine.

In this episode, she breaks down what sleep apnoea is, how it can disrupt your sleep, and why it matters for your overall health and wellbeing.

Find out more about Dr. Aditi Desai and her work at: https://aditidesai.co.uk

Sleep On Series 4 is brought to you by The Sleep Charity and sponsored by Nytol.

London’s own “Gong Girl,” Athena Ko, joins Dr. Sophie Bostock to share how sound meditation can open pathways to deep rest and mental calm. Together they will explore how gong baths and sound healing can support sleep, soothe an overactive mind, and anchor us in presence.

Athena is one of London’s leading gong masters and meditation teachers. As founder of The Gong Girl, she specialises in guiding people, especially those under high stress, into clarity, calm and restoration through sound and meditation. With past work teaching meditation in psychiatric wards and a background bridging both the corporate and spiritual worlds, Athena brings a rare blend of groundedness and depth.

In this episode, Athena will teach you how to “listen yourself to sleep” and take you on a short guided sonic meditation using gong and vibration to help you drift into rest.

Find out more about Athena and her gong work via Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thegonggirl

Sleep On Series 4 is brought to you by The Sleep Charity and sponsored by Nytol.