Episode Details

Why does sleeping on a hard floor hurt? And why can't you just decide to sleep on your back? This episode explores the biomechanics, neuroscience, and evolutionary history behind sleep position preferences. From 77,000-year-old plant mats to memory foam, we trace how our bodies adapted to soft surfaces — and whether we can retrain ourselves when surgery, travel, or curiosity demands a different position. Featuring the body schema, micro-arousals, and the surprising heritability of how you curl up at night.