Fronted by award-winning science journalist Michael Mosley, the programme reveals how scientists are unlocking the startling ways in which sleep can impact almost every system in the human body: from our memory and moods, to how it can make us more or less resistant to weight gain, alter our risk of developing diseases (including diabetes and heart disease) and influence our ability to fight infection.

The documentary explores this latest, breaking research to find out how we can learn to sleep better and reap the rewards for our health.

The documentary’s findings are informed by a pioneering sleep study by the University of Oxford's Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute on how we sleep, and the link between sleep and physical and mental health. More information on the study can be found here.

Michael Mosley says: “We spend around a third of our lives sleeping, but most of us have no idea what actually goes on when we fall asleep. As an occasional insomniac myself I am really excited to learn about new and extraordinary ways in which the sleeping brain is behind the body’s response to disease, obesity and ageing.”

Natalie Humphreys, executive producer for Storyboard Studios, says: “We’re setting out to uncover new science, never featured on television before, which is getting us closer than ever to cracking how sleep works and what we can all do to make sure we’re getting the sleep we need. Our aim, with all our output, is to produce shows that are authentically groundbreaking and genuinely useful, and this film bears all of those hallmarks."

Tom Coveney, BBC Commissioning Editor, says: “Getting a good night's sleep has never felt more important, but with insomnia rocketing during lockdown, more and more of us are looking for sleep solutions. As one of the nation's most trusted medical journalists, it will be fascinating to see what Michaels uncovers from the latest research, and to learn how we can all sleep better.”

How To Sleep Well With Michael Mosley is directed by Dani Carpanen, produced by Jon Willers and executive produced by Natalie Humphreys. The documentary was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning Science and Natural History and Patrick Holland, Controller, BBC Two. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Tom Coveney.