To sleep, perchance to dream… But what is going on when we do (or don’t ) sleep?
Midday Sleep by J.F. Millet
On Wednesday 21st Feb 2024 PubSci is delighted to welcome Dr Anna Joyce of Regents University to speak about the neuroscience and psychology of sleep: What sleep is, why we need it, what happens when it goes wrong, and how we try to fix it.
We’re frequently told we should be sleeping 8 hours every night – meaning we would spend 1/3 of our lives contentedly in the Land of Nod – but for many people this simply isn’t the case.
Fortunately for those who feel they don’t get enough, Anna is Assistant Professor in Psychology at Regents University, specialising in developmental psychology and sleep (see biography further down this page). If anybody knows how to get better sleep, it is Dr Anna Joyce.
Join PubSci and Anna Joyce for Secrets of Sleep on 21st February. Tickets on Eventbrite are moving very fast – book today to avoid disappointment. See below for more details.
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Some find sleep elusive [Image: US National Institutes of Health]
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Join us upstairs at the Old King’s Head, near London Bridge tube. Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Talks run for ~45 minutes and are followed by a Q&A session. The Old King’s Head has a happy hour before 7pm, and the kitchen serves excellent pub grub.
We use Eventbrite to manage numbers. Reserve your spot ASAP each month to avoid disappointment. Reserve your place now! PubSci is free to attend but please consider making a donation with your reservation to help cover costs.
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About the speaker
Dr Anna Joyce is Assistant Professor in Psychology at Regents University, London, specialising in developmental psychology, atypical development, sleep, and ethics.
Dr Anna Joyce
Anna has a BSc in Psychology, an MSc in Neuropsychology, and a PhD in Sleep and Cognition. She is a chartered psychologist, an honorary lecturer at UCL, and has written for The Conversation. She previously held research and clinical roles at Coventry University and Evelina London, St Thomas’ Hospital.
Her research centres on sleep and cognition in neurodiverse individuals, and the impact of sleep problems on cognition, behaviour and mental health.
She has led research into sleep and cognition in typical and atypical groups, including ADHD, Down syndrome, and Autism. At Coventry University, Anna investigated sleep problems and early cognitive development in children with Down syndrome, the neural basis of attitudes and beliefs, and the effects on psychological stress of belief in science.
Don’t miss this chance to join Anna Joyce at PubSci this February to learn the Secrets of Sleep.
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There is no charge for attending PubSci talks, but we have a traditional whip-round to cover expenses. Very few of us carry cash these days, so you can contribute digitally through our TipJar or make a donation when registering for ticketed events with Eventbrite. Please help PubSci continue putting on events. PubSci receives no funding.
Perchance to dream? [Flaming June by Frederic Layton (Detail)]
We aim to keep PubSci accessible for all, although it is unsuitable for under 18s as we meet in the function room of a pub. Regrettably, there is no wheelchair access.
Check out the Future Events page where you can also subscribe to our Google Calendar so PubSci events automatically appear in your own Calendar. You can find all our links on our LinkTree.
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We used to meet on the first Wednesday of the month but PubSci is now on the third Wednesday. Join us upstairs at the Old King’s Head near London Bridge Underground (Borough High Street east side exit) every month apart from December for a regular dose of Sipping, Supping & Science.
Address:
The Old King’s Head (upstairs room)
King’s Head Yard
45-49 Borough High Street
London SE1 1NA
Science journalist and photographer, 
Welcome to PubSci’s year-end blog post.
Neutrinos are the second most abundant particles in the universe, and hundreds of trillions of them stream through your body every second, but you can’t feel them at all. Atomic nuclei produce neutrinos whenever they come together or break apart – even bananas emit them – yet these amazing particles have proved incredibly difficult to detect.
James Riordon has written for Science News, Scientific American, Quanta Magazine, New Scientist, Popular Science, The Washington Post, Physics Today, and Analytical Chemistry. In his spare time, James goes in search of abandoned and decrepit science laboratories (sometimes with his friend Michael Lucibella). 
PubSci 