Alice Gregory

Alice is a Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths. She has contributed to several diverse research areas, including the longitudinal associations between sleep and psychopathology, behavioural genetics, sleep paralysis and exploding head syndrome. In addition to her scientific contributions she also excels in the public engagement of science. She has published two popular science book (Nodding Off, Bloomsbury, 2018 and Sleepy Pebble, Nobrow, 2019). She regularly contributes articles to the media and has had her work published in outlets including the Guardian, GQ UK, Sud Ouest, Slate Fr, Independent.

Recent articles by Alice Gregory

Why you always stay up late

If last-minute tasks are preventing you from going to bed, you might have revenge bedtime procrastination.
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What is sleep inertia?

It's sometimes referred to as the transitional state between sleep and waking.
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Why can old dreams feel like real memories?

Remember the time when we... For some, dreams can feel like memories. This is more common than you may think.
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Is it dangerous to wake a sleepwalker?

Professor Alice Gregory puts to bed this sleeping myth.
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How does time change when we dream?

With the help of lucid dreamers, scientists have examined how our brains interpret time during shuteye.
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Why do we sleep?

We spend one third of our lives sleeping so let Science Focus tell you a bit more about why we catch so many zzz's.
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Why do I always feel so rubbish after a nap?

Feel great after some daytime zzzs or left feeling groggy? Let Science Focus explain why.
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Why do I always come up with my best ideas when I’m trying to get to sleep?

Asked by: Yasmin Hayes (age 13)
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Do deaf people do sign language in their sleep?

Asked by: Heidi Nelson, London
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Is it possible to be too tired to sleep?

Asked by: Helen Collins, Manchester
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10 tips for parents who want a relaxing bedtime and better sleep

Our resident sleep expert gives us her top science-backed tips for helping the whole family get the best possible night’s sleep.
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Are our sleeping positions linked to our personalities?

The results are in, but we'll have to sleep on it.
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I wake up at 4am every morning and can’t get back to sleep. What can I do to fall asleep again?

Try not to stress about it and try reading a book instead.
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Why do I have more vivid dreams when sleeping in a bed other than my own?

Catching some zzzs might not be as restful in a bed other than your own due to all those adventures you have to go on and monsters you have to fight.
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Does dreaming affect the quality of our sleep?

Go back to sleep...
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Do babies have nightmares?

Although they may occasionally give their parents nightmares, babies probably don't experience them themselves.
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Why did sleep evolve?

Sleeping may seem like a waste of time (unless you're having a well-deserved lie in), but it's critical to a healthy waking life.
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Is being single bad for your health?

While being in a relationship can benefit your health, it can also bring problems of its own.
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Is it possible to sleep with your eyes open?

Think of all the extra reading (or binge watching) you could do if your eyes stayed open all night. Or maybe not.
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